SOMMELIERS (1973) Professor Claus J Riedel was the first designer to recognise that the bouquet, taste, balance and finish of wines are affected by the shape of the glass from which they are consumed. In the late 1950s, RIEDEL started to produce glasses which at that time were a design revolution. Thin-blown, unadorned, reducing the design to its essence, bowl, stem, base.
Working with experienced tastes, RIEDEL discoverd that wine enjoyed from his glasses showed more depth and better balance than when served in other glasses. In 1961, a revolutionary concept was introduced, when the RIEDEL catalogue featured the first line of wine glasses created in different sizes and shapes. The concept illustrated to perfection with the introduction of the SOMMELIERS series in 1973, which achieved worldwide recognition. A glass was born that turns a sip into a celebration – a wine?s best friend – fine-tuned to match the grape!

Glass series: SOMMELIERS BURGUNDY GRAND CRU
Item number: 4400/16
Height: 248 mm, 9-3/4″
Capacity: 1050 ccm, 37 oz
Widest diameter: 115 mm, 4-1/2″
Price Category: $$$
Fine Crystal
This glass was described by Decanter magazine as “The finest Burgundy glass of all time, suitable for both young and old Burgundies.” Its shape, developed in 1958, represented a quantum leap in terms of wine glass design – and has earned it a place in the permanent display of the New York Museum of Modern Art. This ‘beautiful monster’ of a glass can take apart a lesser wine, mercilessly showing up its weaknesses. But a great wine – a top-class Burgundy, Barolo or Barbaresco – will be revealed in all its glory. The large bowl allows the bouquet to develop to the full, while the slightly flared top lip maximises the fruit flavors by directing a precise flow onto the front palate. Certain wines and grape varieties require this type of controlled delivery. By ensuring that the fruit is highlighted while using the marked acidity of the wine to keep the flavors in balance, this is a glass that produces a superbly three-dimensional ‘taste picture’.