Riedel Vinum

Beaujolais Nouveau Wine Glass Set of Six — Trim and well-balanced, these Beaujolais Nouveau stems are shaped to emphasize the fruit and lightness of low-acidity red wines, while highlighting their tannins. A set of six, they are suitable for serving Gamay, Bardolino, Beaujolais Nouveau, Dolcetto, Freisa, Grignolino, Lagrein, and Lambrusco. Each glass holds 7¾ ounces at full capacity and stands 7-1/8 inches high. Washing by hand is recommended.

Bordeaux Wine Goblet Set of Six — This glass was specifically shaped to highlight the fruit in young, full-bodied red wines with high levels of tannin, such as Bordeaux, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Rioja, and Tempranillo. The mouth of the Bordeaux glass draws wine to the areas of the tongue that perceive sweetness, emphasizing the fruit and mellowing the acidity. The large bowls provide room for the wine's rich bouquet to unfold. The glass stands 8-7/8 inches high and holds 21½ ounces of wine. Also available in a Set of Two.

Brunello Di Montalcino Glass Set of Six — Named for one of Italy's most prestigious wines, the Brunello di Montalcino glass is the first glass designed by Riedel for a particular wine region. The large bowl and particular rim diameter allow the connoisseur to revel in this wine's rich aromas and soft palate. And, the beautifully balanced glass lends just the right mixture of delicacy and stability to drinking pleasure. Each of the two thin-stemmed glasses in this set stands 8-5/8 inches tall and holds 20¾ ounces at full capacity. The pair makes a superb wedding gift or adds to an existing collection for the serious wine drinker. Also available in a Set of Two.

Burgundy/Pinot Noir Wine Goblet Set of Four — The glasses in this set of four were specifically shaped to highlight the fruit in full-bodied red wines with high acidity and moderate tannin, such as Barbaresco, Barolo, Barbera, Red Burgundy, Gamay, Nebbiolo, and Pinot Noir. The mouth of the Pinot Noir glasses draws wine to the areas of the tongue that perceive sweetness, highlighting the fruit and mellowing the acidity. The large bowl provides room for the wine's rich bouquet to unfold. Each glass stands 8¼ inches high and holds 24¾ ounces of wine. Also available in a Set of Two.

Montrachet/Chardonnay Glass Set of Four — The four large glasses in this set are ideal for serving Montrachet, Pouilly-Fuisse, and fine Chardonnays. The extra-large bowls hold 21-1/8 ounces, opening a wine's full bouquet without over-concentrating the aromas. From Riedel's Vinum series, the glasses are machine blown of brilliant 24 percent lead crystal and conform to Riedel's exacting standards: colorless, transparent, and thin-walled, with lips cut and polished so wine flows smoothly onto the tongue. The glasses are 7-3/8 inches high. Also available in a Set of Two.

Port Glass Set of Six — If, when asked to enumerate your favorite after-dinner beverages, you find yourself listing port, then you will cherish Riedel's Vinum series port glass. With this glass, Riedel has set its sights on the rich high-alcohol classics from Portugal. With its elegant, barely fluted teardrop design, the Vinum port glass serves to enhance the wine's floral, raisiny aromatics while mitigating any alcohol burn to the nose. In doing so, the Vinum port glass is sure to become indispensable after all fine meals. The glass stands 6½ inches high and holds 8½ ounces. Also available in a Set of Two.

Rheingau/Riesling Glass Set of Two — This particular glass is named for Germany's Rheingau, or Rhine District, which is famous for its Rieslings. The small tulip-shaped bowl features a flared lip that directs the wine to the tip of the tongue, and thus accentuates the sweet, fruity qualities of a light, dry, acidic white wine. Other wines that benefit from this glass are Pinot Grigio and unoaked Sauvignon Blanc. Each of the two thin-stemmed glasses in this set stands 7½ inches tall and holds 8½ ounces at full capacity. The pair makes a superb wedding gift or adds to an existing collection for the serious wine drinker.

Rosé Glass Set of Two — Released in May 2007, the Vinum Rosé glass with its pink stem is the third limited edition glass in a series designed to raise awareness of breast cancer (the 2005 Pink O wine tumbler and 2006 Pink O Champagne glass sold out in record time). Riedel pledges to donate 15% of all sales of the rosé glasses to the non-profit organization Living Beyond Breast Cancer, which helps empower all women touched by the disease. Perfect for light, summery rosé wines, each of the two thin-stemmed glasses in this set stands 8-1/4 inches tall and holds 13 ounces at full capacity. The pair comes in an elegant black Riedel box that displays the pink ribbon of breast cancer awareness.

Sauvignon Blanc Wine Glass Set of Six — Sauvignon Blanc can be the Jekyll and Hyde of the wine-grape world. At its best, it'll make wines redolent of minerals and crisp lemon/lime. At its sloppiest, it'll evoke fond reminiscence of eating gooseberry fool beside a cat's litter box. So forgive Austrian glassmaker Riedel if their Sauvignon Blanc glass won't turn kitty pee into Sancerre; this glass will at least highlight the qualities of a decent Fumé. Manufactured in full lead oxide crystal, this is a redesign of a previous Sauvignon glass. Tasting a Sauvignon Blanc from Mendocino, California's Alexander Valley in three different glasses was revealing. Poured into a competitor's crystal, the wine was all tartness and steely lemon. The earlier Riedel Vinum Sauvignon Blanc glass (no. 416/3, now called the Beaujolais Nouveau glass) softened the same wine, bringing the acidity into harmony with notes of pear and vanilla. But this glass, no. 416/33, refined the wine still further; its larger-capacity bowl with wider, more tapered rim brought out still more fruit and tamed the acidity one more notch while maintaining the wine's balance. It may not have been an experiment worthy of Dr. Henry J himself, but Riedel's glass shows that a nice Sauvignon should have nothing to Hyde. This glass stands 8½ inches high and holds 12 1/3 ounces. Also available in a Set of Two.

Sparkling Wine/Prestige Cuvee Glass Set of Six — Looking like an especially well-regulated art nouveau lava lamp, the Riedel Vinum Series Cuvee/Prestige glass was designed to add to your enjoyment of your favorite sparkling wines. The obvious and prime attraction to any bubbly is the bubbles. This glass is known as 416/48 to Riedel loyalists; at the interior bottom of its weighty, languidly curved bowl lies a small crystal pinhole. This etched "fizz mark" provides a rough surface on which the beads form, rising to the surface in a steady stream through the center of the liquid. It may sound scientifically dry, but it's just Riedel's way of putting the "fizz" in "physics." This glass stands 8-5/8 inches high and holds 8 1/8 ounces. Also available in a Set of Two.

Syrah/Rhone Wine Glass Set of Six — The glasses in this set of six were specifically shaped to highlight the tannins in wines made from the Australian Shiraz variety of grape, such as Amarone, Blaufränkisch, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Grenache, Hermitage Rouge, Malbec, Mourvèdre, Pinotage, Shiraz, and Syrah. The glass shape also provides balance to the intense flavor of this very concentrated wine. Each glass stands 9¼ inches high and holds 22-7/8 ounces of wine. Also available in a Set of Two.

Tempranillo Glass Set of Six — The unusual curve of the bowl on this glass, and its narrow rim diameter, brings out the rich aromas and big fruity flavors of red wines from Spain's renowned Rioja and Ribera del Duero regions, many made with the native Tempranillo grape. Each of the two thin-stemmed glasses in this set stands 8-7/8 inches tall and holds 14-1/8 ounces at full capacity. The pair makes a superb gift for the aficionado of Spanish wines. Also available in a Set of Two.

Zinfandel/Riesling/Chianti Wine Glass Set of Four — One of the more versatile stems among the 19 myriad shapes in Riedel's Vinum line, this glass (model 416/15 to loyalists) hits almost all the food groups. It's called the Chianti Classico glass, referring to the Italian region producing red wines from the Sangiovese grape, but the glass is designed to enhance the nuance and flavor of wines made of Dolcetto or Montepulciano, too. And Zinfandel drinkers — we're talking red Zin here — will find that this glass focuses lots of bright fruit to the nose, rounding off some of the rougher edges of a young red. A 1997 Napa Valley Zinfandel, tasted in both Riedel and "Brand X," bears this out. And lovers of the Riesling grape, take note: this exact same glass is also marketed as the Riedel Vinum series Riesling Grand Cru glass, perfect for both the dry versions as well as the sweeter late harvest renditions of this tasty white. The glass stands 8¼ inches high and holds 13 ounces of wine. Also available in a Set of Two.

Martini Glass Set of Six — Yeah, in retrospect it probably was wishful thinking to hope that Riedel — the Austrian glassworks whose innovations in stemware shape and design have enabled serious wine drinkers to get more bang from their Bordeaux, more Shiraz pizzazz — could work alcoholic alchemy on the martini. They can shorten the bowl of one glass so Sauvignon Blanc hits the tongue just so, broaden the mouth of the Burgundy stem to accentuate the dusty fruit nose, flare the lip of a single malt whiskey vessel to disperse floral notes. Yet even Riedel's model 416/77, with its classically elegant conical cocktail styling, can't scrub the bathtub ring off of a cheap gin. They make a little jewel of a martini glass, but not even Riedel can make a Sapphire from cubic zirconia booze. The glass stands 5¼ inches high and holds 5 ounces. Also available in a Set of Two.

Brandy Snifter Set of Four — With this set of four brandy snifters, Ridel makes a foray into designing glasses for other beverages. Like the wine glasses in Riedel's Vinum series, these snifters are made of 24-percent lead crystal. The bulbous balloon-style bowl on each glass is specifically shaped for drinkers to cup the bottom and warm the brandy or cognac with one hand. Coupled with the narrower rim on the glass, the bowl is also designed to waft the liquor's aroma to the nose with each sip. Each glass stands 6 inches high and holds a copious 29-5/8 ounces of brandy or cognac; however, it is customary to pour just a few ounces at a time for sipping. Also available in a Set of Two.

Cognac-Hennessy Glass Set of Two — With its flute shape, this glass features a small evaporating surface, which helps to balance the aroma and taste while tempering the alcohol and emphasizing the bouquet. Each glass stands 7¼ inches high and holds 6¾ ounces.

Gourmet Glass Set of Six — Sometimes even beer, juice, or water needs a special presentation. The all-purpose, sparkling crystal Gourmet glass from Riedel's Vinum line allows for indulgence everyday. You'll want to keep enough of these on hand to pour a round of beer for game-viewing, or for ice tea on the patio. The short stem provides good stability and takes away breakage worries, and the tall, deep bowl feels beautifully balanced in the hand. Each of the two glasses in this set measures 6¼ inches in height and holds 13 ounces at full capacity. Also available in a Set of Two.

Liqueur/Grappa Glass Set of Two — Few entities have undergone and survived the forces of public attention and critical reevaluation as have grappa and its cousin from France, Marc — unless we include the house of Riedel itself. For centuries, the Austrian glassmaker contented itself with the manufacture of vases and bowls before coming to the forefront of crafting elegant, scientifically designed stemware for serious wine drinkers. And now Riedel, preaching its gospel of increased wine enjoyment by matching grape type to specific glass shape, is set to take on another comeback kid, this one in the spirit world. Once a sort of Continental moonshine made by fermenting and distilling the winemaker's leftovers — grape skins, pulp, seeds, and stems — grappa and Marc have emerged as popular postprandials. And this glass, resembling a hybrid of bud vase and champagne flute, tames these bad boys into pleasurable submission. Tasted in another manufacturer's "grappa" glass, one mid-priced 80-proof offering was all scorched tongue and boozy nose. In the Riedel, with its flared lip and heaviness uncharacteristic of other Vinum models, the same grappa exhibited the elegant floral notes of an orchard. It's no mean feat taming a spirit that is neither willing nor weak. Each glass stands 6-3/8 inches high and holds 2-7/8 ounces.

Water Glass Set of Two — The all-purpose, sparkling crystal water glass from Riedel's Vinum line allows for indulgence everyday, whether for juice at breakfast or iced tea in the afternoon. You'll want to keep enough on hand to set one at every place at dinner, paired with Vinum wine glasses. The short stem provides good stability and takes away breakage worries, and the tall, deep bowl feels beautifully balanced in the hand. A slighter smaller match to the Vinum Gourmet glass, each of the two water glasses in this set measures 5-7/8 inches in height and holds 12-3/8 ounces at full capacity.

Vinum 54 5/8-Ounce Decanter — Decanting is a wonderful way to let old wines breathe while leaving behind the sediment that accrues during aging. Decanting is even appropriate for younger wines as it can awaken the flavor. As with all of Riedel's fine wine glasses and accessories, this simply designed decanter is made of 24-percent full lead crystal, which shows wine's natural brilliance and clarity. The elegant decanter stands 8-7/8 inches tall and holds 54-5/8 ounces, which equals one entire bottle of wine.

Bordeaux Decanter Gift Set — A perfect gift for anyone who enjoys great wine, this Riedel For Two gift set includes two Vinum Bordeaux wine glasses, along with Riedel's new Merlot decanter. The glasses from Riedel's ever popular Vinum series are designed to enhance the flavors of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and red Bordeaux. The decanter is lead-free, has a simple upright design, making it both visually appealing and functional by exposing the wine to more oxygen and allowing the bouquet to fully open up.

Cabernet Decanter Gift Set — The two large glasses in this set are ideal for Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and full-bodied red Bordeaux wines like Cabernet Franc. Both glasses and decanter are from Riedel's Vinum series — machine-blown of brilliant 24 percent lead crystal. The glasses conform to Riedel's exacting standards: colorless, transparent, and thin-walled, with lips cut and polished so wine flows smoothly onto the tongue. The glasses are 9 inches high and hold 21½ ounces. The decanter holds 37-1/8 ounces, ample for a 750-milliliter bottle of wine, and also is 9 inches high. Its graceful, outwardly curved neck provides a secure grip when pouring. The set comes in a handsome gift box.

Wine Glass Travel Case — When you travel, take your Riedel glassware with you safely and securely. The Riedel travel case has a double-snap hand grip, lockable zipper, and adjustable shoulder strap. This lightweight case comfortably holds three Riedel glasses.

It is a very good cookbook and I have yet to find a recipe that didn't turn out as it was supposed to.—Norm Peterson, Arizona
My hubby keeps looking in the cookbook, and asks "when will you cook this recipe?"—Lori Hamby, Florida