Summary

- The prima donna
- The revolutionary 'O' line from Riedel
- Luigi Bormioli launches two new lines: Perfecta and Conica
- Curious proposals from Colle Val D'Elsa, the Italian Centre for Crystal
- Accornero: we simplify
- Design and functionality: a possible coupling
- Moser: the evergreen style

Just how important is it to have the right glass for the right drink? Very much. And now more than ever. The simple distinction between a glass for water, a glass for wine, and a glass for spirits belongs to the past. Today, for those who are serious about their drinks, each content needs the right form - the right shape - the right type of rotundity - the right type of stem - of weight - of height- of dept, and width; in other words, the right kind of glass. We took a peek at what some of the most important glass manufacturers have to offer today.



The prima donna
The most exigent is obviously wine, for which there are at least fifteen basic cups. A red wine requires its glass, or better, glasses, because it can be young and fresh, or aged and full-bodied, and the same is for whites and rosés. Champagnes as well have their goblets, not mentioning spirits, sweet liqueurs, cocktails and so on. But the glass industry for whine is surely the biggest.
Let's take a brief look at the proper pairings, emphasising that a wineglass must be crystal, transparent, colourless, without facets or decoration.
The proper glass for full-bodied and aged reds, like Barolos and Barbarescos, is rather large, very high, in the case of Bordeaux glasses, and wide, as for traditional 'borgognone' wines.
For brief to medium aged reds, like the Barbera and Dolcetto, however the classic, medium capacity wineglass is ideal. This glass can also be used for well structured white wines like the Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc.
For aromatic wines, like the Gewurziraminer, a tulip shaped glass with a slightly wider rim is necessary. Passito and fortified wines generally should be served in small tulip shaped glasses, meanwhile Asti spumante and Moscato d'Asti require the classic chalice.
Finally, the traditional flute is perfect for sparkling wines and Champagne, even if lately it is common to see Millesimatos and Cuvées served in larger glasses.


The revolutionary 'O' line from Riedel
With its recently released O range of tumbler glasses, Riedel, probably the most famous glass production company worldwide, tried to combine all the pleasures of wine, fashion, finesse and daily life. The new line of glasses from Maximilian Riedel consists in a set of six (three for red, three for white) offered at a reasonable price. They are made of sonorous glass, and they have a peculiarity: they have no stem on the base.
The 'O' range of glasses is complemented by a special Cornetto decanter that may be used for decanting red wine, or simply as a carafe for water.
The 'O' was non created to substitute the classic Riedel glasses already on the market but as a complement to the range, which now has almost 100 types of glasses, subdivided into 7 lines. Maximilian Riedel first created the "O" glass in 2004. It was the most successful product introduction in the history of this 300-year-old company. "The 'O' glass has delighted many and outraged a few," said Maximilian. "Americans were very quick to embrace a glass that offered all the enjoyment that Riedel is famous for, yet was more casual, easy to use, wash and store and added a playful element to the wine and spirits experience."
In December 2004, 'O' line welcomed a new member, O spirit, especially designed for spirits. Well, a glass for spirits with no stem is not such an innovation, but this new line is the proof of the growing popularity of Riedel's revolution in the way of drinking.
The last addition to Riedel's range, anyway, is the Vinum Extreme Shiraz glass. Released in January 2005, this line combines the efforts of Riedel and Penfolds Wine, a renowned Australian wine producer and Shiraz expert.
"Penfolds consistently produces the highest quality, multi-dimensional expressions of Shiraz in the New World style, which is, for us, the main criteria when developing the shapes of glasses. Penfolds was the perfect partner to create this outstanding New World Shiraz glass," explains Georg Riedel, confirming the attention of the company for creating glasses that are able to showcase the wine in its finest form.




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