SOMMELIERS (1973): Professor CLAUS J. RIEDEL was the first designer to recognize that the bouquet, taste, balance and finish of wines are affected by the shape of the glass from which they are consumed. More than 50 years ago he began his pioneering work to create stemware that would match and complement different wines and spirits. In the late 1950s, RIEDEL started to produce glasses, which at that time were a design revolution. Thin-blown, unadorned, reducing the design to its essence: bowl, stem, base. Working with experienced tasters, RIEDEL discovered that wine enjoyed from his glasses showed more depth and better balance than when served in other glasses. CLAUS J. RIEDEL laid the groundwork for stemware which was functional as well as beautiful, and made according to the Bauhaus design principle: form follows function. In 1961 a revolutionary concept was introduced, when the Riedel catalogue featured the first line of wine glasses created in different sizes and shapes. Before this, conventional stemware had used a single basic bowl shape, with only the size varying depending on use. The concept was illustrated to perfection with the introduction of the Sommeliers series in 1973, which achieved worldwide recognition. A glass was born that turns a sip into a celebration -a wine's best friend - fine-tuned to match the grape! We invite you to share this fascinating and unique experience. You don't need to be a wine writer, a wine maker or an expert to taste the difference that a RIEDEL glass can make. SOMMELIERS is executed in crystal.

Glass series: SOMMELIERS SAUTERNES
Item number: 4400/55
Height: 200 mm, 7-7/8"
Capacity: 340 ccm, 12 oz
Widest diameter: 85 mm, 3-3/8"
Price Category: $$$
Fine Crystal
This glass was originally developed in 1989 in collaboration with Hardy Rodenstock, described by the Wine Spectator as 'the world's most extravagant wine collector'. It was first issued as a glass for dry white wine as part of Riedel's mouth-blown HR1 collection. Ironically enough, tastings around the world have subsequently shown it to be the ideal glass for Sauternes and sweet wines. The unusual curved design accentuates the apricot aromas typical of wines made from grapes affected by botrytis ('noble rot'). The glass is designed to emphasise acidity, thus balancing the wine's liquorous sweetness and luscious finish. This shape is also part of our mouth-blown Sommeliers series as the Sauternes and dessert wine glass.