| e world of high-end stemware design, rugged and | | | | stems. Many of us urban dwellers can empathize. |
| low has been winning out over thin and spindly. | | | | Hence, he created the shorter, stemless, |
| Wine glasses without stems have been making a | | | | “O” glasses as a great solution. |
| slow but steady inroads into the status quo of | | | | Max wanted a quality wine glass, that |
| the beverage world. Cylindrical snifter-like glasses | | | | didn’t take up much space. Hence, Riedel |
| with minimal bases (if any at all) are fast | | | | created his own version of a high-end stemless |
| becoming popular among younger wine drinkers. | | | | wine glass. |
| What starts with the young may spread to the | | | | These days, stemless wine glasses are a required |
| old. Already, many food and beverage | | | | vessel in all wine lover’s cabinets. When |
| representatives across the country are setting up | | | | refinement is less important than simplicity, a |
| their wine tasting events with - ahem – | | | | stemless wine glass is a great solution. If |
| stemless wine snifters. | | | | you’re hosting a party with a lot of |
| Companies that have been releasing long | | | | guests, stemless wine glasses can go directly in |
| stemmed glasswares onto the market have , in | | | | the dishwasher without the worry of stem |
| general, been the larger houseware corporations | | | | breakage. |
| that have not had their finger on the pulse | | | | So one might ask, why did glasses have stems in |
| what’s “cool” in the brandy | | | | the first place? For more serious tastings, the |
| bars and chic bistros across the land. While | | | | stem of a glass allows one to swirl the wine easily |
| “cool” is a completely subjective , | | | | and evenly. It also prevents foggy hand prints |
| if not annoying term, good marketers will do well | | | | which can muck up the look of your glass. Finally, |
| to pay attention to its power. For example, as | | | | holding a glass at its stem helps maintain the |
| long stemmed glasses have begun to fall from | | | | temperature of the wine. When a glass is held at |
| favor, there is no longer a connection between | | | | the bowl, your warm hand can heat up the wine |
| long stemmed glasses and sophistication. In many | | | | over time. |
| circles, a stemless, “low rider” wine | | | | Perhaps the zenith of stemless wine glasses is |
| tumbler is thought of to have more cache and | | | | embodied by Waterford Crystal’s Lismore |
| refinement than the traditional wine glass. Why ? | | | | Nouveau collection. The legendary Irish glassmaker |
| It’s simple. Low rider wine glasses are | | | | has sculpted these sturdy yet elegant wine |
| cool. | | | | tumblers to fit beautifully in the hand with a |
| Underneath the “cool” association | | | | delicately contoured bowl to bring out wine |
| runs a vein of practicality. Flashback to 2004: the | | | | bouquet . The minimally cut facets in the glass |
| launch of the Riedel “O” glass | | | | recall a restrained Art Deco elegance that |
| became the rage in urban wine aficionado circles. | | | | suggests even casual use to be appropriate. |
| As the story goes, Maximilian Riedel (eleventh | | | | Perhaps no other glassmaker has matched |
| generation glassmaker from the Riedel family) | | | | Waterford’s success in pulling graceful |
| lived in a small apartment with little space for tall | | | | elegance into almost rugged territory. |