Back from the holyland, hence the UN-holy title. Fear not, Wine Tasting Guy’s mind is not in the gutter. I’m speaking of wine glasses.
While tasting wine at several wineries (and in some people’s homes) in Israel I noticed people serving wines in small glasses. Size is relative, but I’m a believer (though not all would agree) that bigger is better. More room to swirl, more room for the aromas to linger and easier to tilt the wine so that you can observe and appreciate the color.
In addition to size, good wine should be drunk out of out quality glasses. There are tons of quality glasses out there nowadays. No, they don’t have to be hand blown glass. No, they don’t have to cost $50/glass. But they should be thin glass bowls (I prefer tulip shaped) and they should not have a rounded lip. The lip of the glass should be straight so that the wine runs directly down into your mouth.
Although the power of suggestion is one I fervently try to avoid I have heard MANY people say that wine simply tastes BETTER out of better glasses. And you know what… I agree.
SO, you can imagine my disappointment when I tasted wines at some of the Israel wineries out of cheapo glasses. If an artist was to display their art don’t you think they would use the best frames, light & background possible? Then why wouldn’t the wineries want their wines shown in the best glasses.
I know, good glasses can be expensive. And the good glasses break VERY EASILY. And there were many wineries that DID serve their wines in good glasses. But given how strongly I feel about Israeli wines I would like to see ALL wineries pouring their wines out of the best (and most cost effective) glasses.
Happy quality wine glass wine tasting!
WTG
Tags: Israeli Wine, Wine glass, wine tasting
My friend at UCD did his whole Master’s Thesis on using Reidel as opposed to not.
I personally have almost every Reidel sommeliar glass. I lucked out when my hubby’s patient was the Western reg. Sales Manager for Reidel…score…she sold them to me at cost. For me though, it’s the thinness of the glass that really does it from me. Of course thinness only comes with well-made glasses. Overall, I enjoy wine in the Riedel the best, it works for me.