The Wine Knows

I will admit to being a bit of a wine glass snob.

Three months ago, I bought the soon-to-be-released Oregon Pinot Noir glasses created by Riedel. I haven't tested them yet to see if they really are better for Oregon Pinot than the Riedel Vinum Pinot Noir glasses I own.

As I thumbed through a wine accessories catalog this morning, I see Riedel has the latest "ultimate wine glasses" available, called "Vitis." They are the latest Riedel glass to be touted as "the best glasses to enhance your wine experience."

Seems I hear that from Riedel every year or so.

I have a fair collection of Riedel glasses, primarily from the Vinum line. They're classic without being ungodly expensive. I have the Bordeaux, Chardonnay, Syrah and Champagne glasses in the Vinum line. I also have the Canadian ice wine glasses, which come only in the "Extreme" line. And those Oregon PN glasses (not sure what category they're in). I even have one of the Riedel professional tasting glasses; it has a hollow stem that holds 5/8ths of an ounce of wine, which is supposed to be the perfect amount to have for evaluating a wine. Frankly, it's a really goofy glass.

I have a few of the Riedel "O," those stemless glasses that people either love or hate. I happen to really like them. They're casual and elegant, and they take some of the pretension out of wine.

Perhaps my favorite Riedel is the black glass. I have two regular black stems and one black "O." These are great for parties because guests have to guess if they are tasting red or white wines (don't laugh; it's harder than you might think). On top of that, the black glasses are just downright gorgeous.

Our everyday glasses are Riedels we picked up at various Taste Washington events. They're smaller, and we don't mind putting them in the dishwasher because they were free.

And I have a couple of decanters. One was a gift from my wife's aunt. The other was a gift for being a speaker. They're always good to have around.

Is this all madness? Do I really need all of these glasses? Yes and no. I kind of wish I'd not invested in the Syrah glasses because they're really close to the shape of the Bordeaux glasses. Undoubtedly, Max Riedel could convince me that Syrah really does taste better in these glasses than the Bordeaux, but I'm not sure I care all that much.

I do think the large bowls and thin rims add to the wine-tasting experience. They bring elegance to a nice dinner party or intimate dinner. I like having separate glasses for red, white, sparkling and even ice wine.

But except for some specialty glasses - like the Oregon PN glass - I'll probably pass on buying the latest and greatest from Riedel. I have enough.

Although I might take a look at one of the four Riesling glasses. And that black decanter is pretty cool ...