Serving your wine in the ‘correct’ glassware is as important as choosing the right wine for the occasion and serving it at the right temperature. So much of the bouquet, taste, balance and finish of a wine can be affected by the glass. That’s why we at Creation have invested in the Riedel Vinum collection of varietal-specific, cold-cut clear crystal glasses to showcase our wines.
Riedel glassware is internationally recognised as the ideal stemware for wine appreciation. Their custom-designed glasses transfer the wine straight onto your palate, ensuring that none of the flavours end up behind a speed bump on the rim of the glass.
Here are but a few tips:
Sauvignon Blanc and unwooded white wines are best enjoyed from a narrow wine glass that concentrates and directs aromas and leads flavours to the centre of the palate, highlighting freshness.
Chardonnay is ideally served in what is traditionally thought of as a red wine glass with a lower rim and a larger bowl. This creates a ‘waterfall’, with the wine touching all aspects of the palate, even flowing underneath the tongue. The larger volume and open-mouthed bowl enable the multi-layered aromas/bouquet to develop whilst emphasising finesse.
Serve your Pinot Noir in tulip-shaped, inward curved glasses. The larger bowl at the base creates a greater surface area for all the aromatic nuances to be captured by a narrower rim at the top. This creates beautiful concentration, so crucial to the enjoyment of this cultivar. Do not serve wines with a higher tannic structure – such as Syrah or Bordeaux – in this shape or in the Chardonnay glass as they may enhance the tannins.
The Syrah glass with its large bowl and tapered opening is perfect for balancing the gripping tannins and concentrated fruit typical of medium-bodied wines. The shape encourages the development of intense fruit aromas, highlighting dignified structure.
When it comes to full-bodied red wines with noticeable tannins, a Bordeaux-style glass is ideal. It allows the bouquet to develop whilst smoothing out tannins and achieving balance.
My personal favourite is the Riedel Champagne and MCC glass. The sparkling point is perfect for displaying a fine pearl, while the slightly bowl-shaped design allows the complex characteristics and wide range of aromatics of our Elation MCC to unfold to their fullest.
Creation and Riedel make the Perfect Gift.
In search of the ideal gift? An elegant set of Riedel cultivar-specific, cold-cut clear crystal stemware together with your favourite Creation Wines never fail to impress. Simply click here to order stemware and here to order wine.
