I recently attended an amazing wine glassware masterclass, thanks to Florida Wine Academy, by Maximilian Riedel about the importance of RIEDEL Veloce glassware. Set to the backdrop of the Miami skyline and waterway at the Rusty Pelican, it was a night to certainly remember.
“Wine speaks one language, and it’s a delicious language.”—Maximilian Riedel
About Maximilian Riedel and the Family
RIEDEL is a 300-Year-old family-owned company that is known for the creation and development of grape varietal-specific stemware. RIEDEL Crystal was the first in history to recognize that the taste and aroma of a beverage is affected by the shape of the vessel from which it is consumed and has been recognized for its revolutionary designs complementing alcoholic beverages and other drinks. Founded in 1756 and pioneering grape varietal-specific stemware since 1958, RIEDEL has become the brand of choice for wine connoisseurs and drink specialists, hospitality professionals and consumers globally.
About RIEDEL Veloce
We explored the RIEDEL Veloce Tasting Set which contains four glasses: Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc, and Chardonnay. The series uses the latest manufacturing technology to create products that feel handmade but offer the precision of machine production. With a lighter and finer profile, the glasses are ideal for new world wines and feature a 100mm diameter base inscribed with the designated grape variety. The glasses honestly feel like you’re lifting a cloud or piece of paper—they are so light.
Maximilian Riedel selected the Italian name “Veloce”, meaning “fast”, in reference to the modern machine technology that makes it possible to bring a glass that is handmade, in so many aspects, onto the machine and produce it quickly and in large quantities. An homage to technology, as glassmaking by hand has become a declining craft.
Why Glassware Matters
Stemware consists of three parts: the bowl, stem, and base. The height of the stem and the width of the base are part of the glass design (known as the architecture). Grape varietal specific stemware features finely tuned glass bowls consisting of three variables: shape, size, and rim diameter. Grape varietal specific stemware must translate the “message” of wine to the human senses.
RIEDEL Veloce Tasting
We tasted through a series of “experiments” where we smelled and tasted four wines in different the glasses. For example, we poured Sauvignon Blanc poured into its glass, a Chardonnay glass, and a Pinot Noir glass. The differences in taste and smell were startling—the Pinot Noir tasted astringent in certain glasses, the Sauvignon Blanc was unrecognizable in the Chardonnay glass.
For non-winos, you may think this is an “emperor has no clothes” situation, but I swear—it’s the real deal. And I am now a glassware snob 🧐😜🤣