A Stem by Any Other Name Smells as Sweet?
Prerequisite Preface...
Discussing stemware without mentioning Riedel is like eating an ortolan while unveiled. So, for starters, I'll preface by reminding y'all that it's pronounced Ree-dul, rhymes with needle. And yes, these glasses really are that great; the wine does taste better. Hell, I even take care to follow the instructions and steam 'em after washing. On the other hand, buying a name is never wise and this case is no exception! While self absorbed, self-professed gourmands such as myself lamented the introduction of stemless stemware in the form of the O series, the brand has been diluted and exploited even more than the Mondavi name (not that the latter was too impressive to begin with.) In the crystal equivalent of Mondavi BV (or Mouton Cadet for that matter,) they have now foolishly featured a fourth, little known, lesser legion to the legendary line; I discovered said product last week when I had the (mis)fortune of visiting of a Target store in New Jersey. Apparently, Riedel has joined the dubious ranks of Michael Graves and Moschimo in creating a low-end line specifically for these store. The result is crap, and the simple banging of my nail against the rim leads me to doubt whether the product is even crystal. However, the Vinum and Sommelier series remain unparalleled!
Pith and Pity...
But, enough of that!
While reading the Old Testament by "God" (see below,) I became aware of a product known as Les Impitoyables or The Pitiless. (Many translate the French name as the Merciless as it sounds cooler, but that is linguistically incorrect, and we needn't anger the likes of Christopher Prendergast or Nicole Kidman.) According to my own attempts to translate the company's propaganda, the crystal is pure (100%) and "hand" blown in the fourteenth Century style by eight French artisans. (Have fun with that sentence kids!) Regardless, the glasses are superb; they are a bit sturdier than Riedel and feature an arguably superior system of curves and angles to ensure that no aroma or taste is neglected. On the downside, no pity was taken on aesthetics either, and the glasses are awkward to handle in addition to their, well, less than pleasing postures.
Going Down the Line...
The No. 1 is a squat little fella resembling a brandy snifter more than a wine glass; we are told that his purpose is young red wines. Likewise, there is also No. 2 model for all white wines which stands 9.84 inches tall and looks like a champagne glass with a greater diameter. This model is not to be confused with the ornate, bubbled No. 4 for champagne. (I found little advantage to this variety.) As the linear logic dictates, there is also a No. 3 for mature reds. The No. 3 is a bit over eight inches in height and looks more than a little like a Riedel Vinum Burgundy glass.
The parallels to Riedel actually continue with Les Impitoyables' own version of the stemless stemware; The Taster Glass one-ups their famed freres featuring nooks on the bottom and side for the thumb and index finger. I found this glass to be wholly inadequate; the side nook interfered with the symmetry of my swish, the lack of stem caused hated heating, and the wine, itself, was shown much mercy.
Now, some may disagree on this last point.
Those "some" are apparently the folks at Myriad who boast of featuring the TG's in the tasting room of Crush. On their website, a prominently posted article on their website discusses the TG's at the store/bar and their exposure of "wine's every flaw and asset."
Please!
Look, we humored the whole IWM knockoff goes avant-garde concept without so much as a guffaw or snicker, but really, you are pushing the line of contrarianism for it own sake. With Daniel J at Daniel B's, and these tchotchkes in your patrons' hands, I must wonder if this time the Wellington-esque DN will lose at 'loo.
Coming Soon...
LabCabin California or How Oeno Drank a Pinot and Lived!
Discussing stemware without mentioning Riedel is like eating an ortolan while unveiled. So, for starters, I'll preface by reminding y'all that it's pronounced Ree-dul, rhymes with needle. And yes, these glasses really are that great; the wine does taste better. Hell, I even take care to follow the instructions and steam 'em after washing. On the other hand, buying a name is never wise and this case is no exception! While self absorbed, self-professed gourmands such as myself lamented the introduction of stemless stemware in the form of the O series, the brand has been diluted and exploited even more than the Mondavi name (not that the latter was too impressive to begin with.) In the crystal equivalent of Mondavi BV (or Mouton Cadet for that matter,) they have now foolishly featured a fourth, little known, lesser legion to the legendary line; I discovered said product last week when I had the (mis)fortune of visiting of a Target store in New Jersey. Apparently, Riedel has joined the dubious ranks of Michael Graves and Moschimo in creating a low-end line specifically for these store. The result is crap, and the simple banging of my nail against the rim leads me to doubt whether the product is even crystal. However, the Vinum and Sommelier series remain unparalleled!
Pith and Pity...
But, enough of that!
While reading the Old Testament by "God" (see below,) I became aware of a product known as Les Impitoyables or The Pitiless. (Many translate the French name as the Merciless as it sounds cooler, but that is linguistically incorrect, and we needn't anger the likes of Christopher Prendergast or Nicole Kidman.) According to my own attempts to translate the company's propaganda, the crystal is pure (100%) and "hand" blown in the fourteenth Century style by eight French artisans. (Have fun with that sentence kids!) Regardless, the glasses are superb; they are a bit sturdier than Riedel and feature an arguably superior system of curves and angles to ensure that no aroma or taste is neglected. On the downside, no pity was taken on aesthetics either, and the glasses are awkward to handle in addition to their, well, less than pleasing postures.
Going Down the Line...
The No. 1 is a squat little fella resembling a brandy snifter more than a wine glass; we are told that his purpose is young red wines. Likewise, there is also No. 2 model for all white wines which stands 9.84 inches tall and looks like a champagne glass with a greater diameter. This model is not to be confused with the ornate, bubbled No. 4 for champagne. (I found little advantage to this variety.) As the linear logic dictates, there is also a No. 3 for mature reds. The No. 3 is a bit over eight inches in height and looks more than a little like a Riedel Vinum Burgundy glass.
The parallels to Riedel actually continue with Les Impitoyables' own version of the stemless stemware; The Taster Glass one-ups their famed freres featuring nooks on the bottom and side for the thumb and index finger. I found this glass to be wholly inadequate; the side nook interfered with the symmetry of my swish, the lack of stem caused hated heating, and the wine, itself, was shown much mercy.
Now, some may disagree on this last point.
Those "some" are apparently the folks at Myriad who boast of featuring the TG's in the tasting room of Crush. On their website, a prominently posted article on their website discusses the TG's at the store/bar and their exposure of "wine's every flaw and asset."
Please!
Look, we humored the whole IWM knockoff goes avant-garde concept without so much as a guffaw or snicker, but really, you are pushing the line of contrarianism for it own sake. With Daniel J at Daniel B's, and these tchotchkes in your patrons' hands, I must wonder if this time the Wellington-esque DN will lose at 'loo.
Coming Soon...
LabCabin California or How Oeno Drank a Pinot and Lived!
posted by The Baron | Friday, February 24, 2006
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