Made in Europe by the world's most renowned wine-glass maker (Riedel Crystal, founded in 1756), the two large glasses in this set are ideal for Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and full-bodied red Bordeaux wines like Cabernet Franc. Both the glasses and the decanter are from Riedel's Vinum Extreme series, distinguished by the diamond shape of glasses' bowls--a shape reflected by the decanter. The glasses' shape intensifies a wine's bouquet and enhances its silky texture. Glasses and decanter are machine-blown of 24 percent lead crystal, and 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 9-3/4 inches high and hold 30-3/8 ounces. The decanter holds 37-1/8 ounces, ample for a 750-milliliter bottle of wine, and is 9 inches high.
Though glasses shaped and sized for different types of wine seem commonplace today, when Riedel introduced this idea in 1961 it was revolutionary. Since then Riedel has continued fine-tuning glasses to bring out the best characteristics in wines and spirits. Varying bowls' shapes and sizes affects the position of the head when sipping and where wine first contacts the tongue's various taste zones. Riedel crystal is used by fine restaurants all over the world and thus must stand up to frequent trips through a dishwasher. But because lead crystal has a soft, coarse surface to convey intense aromas, Riedel recommends the glasses be hand washed. --Fred Brack
