The Auswine Forum

After reading a tweet by Peter Richards yesterday ([url=https://twitter.com/wineschools/status/12521 ... 17344?s=21]Link[/url]), I'm feeling a little inferior about the number of different wine glasses I have. So maybe it's time to indulge myself & buy something I've been coveting for a while, and putting off as too much of a luxury - some Nebbiolo-specific stemware. Besides, beyond online shopping, what else is there to do these days?

Do any of you have any preferences in this regard?

I was researching this recently.

Looking forward to the responses.

Nah, don't get too bent out of shape about it.

Whatever you would use for Pinot Noir, use for Nebbiolo.

Iv'e probably got 9 or 10 different glass types out of legacy sets, but I'm gravitating to using just a few shapes:

Pinot / Neb: Either Zalto Burg or Schott Zwiesel 1872, which it seems or only made to order these days
Other reds: Riedel Bordeaux shape
Full bodied whites: Either of the above
Aromatic whites: Zalto Riesling or Riedel Riesling
Bubbles: I think mine are Luigi Bormioli Flutes. Nice shape bit a little heavy

My preference for Nebbiolo is Zalto Burg. Brings out the best of this variety.

Ozzie W wrote:My preference for Nebbiolo is Zalto Burg. Brings out the best of this variety.

This for me too. Spaceships all the way.

The new Conterno Sensory stems are my go to at the moment

Any good pinot glass will do. I use the Riedel Vinum Burgundy glass and am very happy with it.

Ozzie W wrote:My preference for Nebbiolo is Zalto Burg. Brings out the best of this variety.

Ditto love my Zalto Burg for Neb. But geez I feel like I'm going to break it every time I take a sniff, swirl and sip.

I know Con has a conterno, so would be good to get his thoughts.

Rossco wrote: But geez I feel like I'm going to break it every time I take a sniff, swirl and sip.

Last year, we were staying in a nice hotel in Munich for a couple of nights. They had a free bar & snack area. The wine glasses were all Zaltos. The young hostess thought she could demonstrate how strong the Zalto glass were -sadly she effortlessly snapped it in half. She was very embarrassed and we felt bad for her - but yes they are way too easily broken for a clumsy oaf like myself

probably Riedel Veritas Pinot glass for me, I prefer the new world version rather than the old world (there are two shapes, as there would be for Riedel )

Thanks all - I'm leaning towards the Zalto Burg glasses. I'm very happy with my Zalto White Wines glasses, and I think I prefer the shape overall to the Riedels (though I love my Vinum Bordeaux).

The Conternos look nice, and generally I'm pretty good with (not) smashing my stemware, but at about $150 a go... I think I'd rather spend my money on the wine!

Any other brands worth considering?

I was heading down the Zalto road but I can't source them here.

I will grab a couple of Riedel Burgs after I sell my kidney.

Not sure where you are, but they seem widely available in Aus?

Also - could always get the machine-made Riedels?

asajoseph wrote:Not sure where you are, but they seem widely available in Aus?

Also - could always get the machine-made Riedels?

Malaysia.

I drink a lot of nebbiolo, far more so than when I first heavily invested in Zalto Burgundys. In my travels I'm not 100% convinced of Zaltos with certain styles and levels of maturity. I'm concerned of an exaggerated austerity I haven't pinned down with Zalto. This is probably more ably demonstrated with modern expressions. A good example a youthful Voerzio Cru I recently found much better in a Riedel Sommeliers Bordeaux Grand Cru glass! Now the Riedel Burgundy version of this glass I found best used as a decanter for nebbiolo rather than a vessel to drink from.

I was impressed with Plumm Burgundy ( big glass ) delivering better palate flavours than Zalto. This needs further evaluation and I would be delighted having a comprehensive Piedmonte cellar in Australia and buying glasses from an Australian company.

Conterno is a must to try/evaluate.

Awesome - thanks for weighing in Jamie, I was looking forward to your opinion here.

Just one question though - I can't actually find the Plumm Burgundy glass on their website - do you mean the Handmade Vintage Redb?

Yes, sorry, that's the glass.

I tried Plumm as Gary off Wine Front who sometimes posts here was very positive. My experience not very comprehensive with Plumm and perhaps just glowing first impressions.

brodie wrote:

Rossco wrote: But geez I feel like I'm going to break it every time I take a sniff, swirl and sip.

Last year, we were staying in a nice hotel in Munich for a couple of nights. They had a free bar & snack area. The wine glasses were all Zaltos. The young hostess thought she could demonstrate how strong the Zalto glass were -sadly she effortlessly snapped it in half. She was very embarrassed and we felt bad for her - but yes they are way too easily broken for a clumsy oaf like myself

I tried to demonstrate how strong the Zalto Burg glass was at a Chinese restaurant a few months ago by squeezing the top of the rim to show how flexible it is and it shattered, there was glass all over the place.

Rossco wrote:

Ozzie W wrote:My preference for Nebbiolo is Zalto Burg. Brings out the best of this variety.

Ditto love my Zalto Burg for Neb. But geez I feel like I'm going to break it every time I take a sniff, swirl and sip.

I know Con has a conterno, so would be good to get his thoughts.

I’ve only used the Conterno’s a couple of times. The bowl shape and size is very simullar to the Zalto Burgundy except the rim is curved and the stem is shorter. There’s not much difference in performance but the Zalto feels a lot better to use and less than half the price.

I would prefer to use the Zalto Burgundy on the traditional style and the Zalto universal on the modern oaky style.

Cheers Con.

Benchmark wrote:

asajoseph wrote:Not sure where you are, but they seem widely available in Aus?

Also - could always get the machine-made Riedels?

Malaysia.

Few places in Singapore that will ship them to you...I've been thinking about getting some too

So expensive!

Benchmark wrote:So expensive!

Aye but I have this incredible ability to rationalize things and convince myself that there's value.

In the case of Zalto glasses it could be something like "well two glasses is like a mid tier cru classe growth Bordeaux and I drink that regularly. If this can improve the quality of drinking many wines by a lot then it's cheap relative to what I regularly consume without much after thought"

Dragzworthy wrote:

Benchmark wrote:So expensive!

Aye but I have this incredible ability to rationalize things and convince myself that there's value.

In the case of Zalto glasses it could be something like "well two glasses is like a mid tier cru classe growth Bordeaux and I drink that regularly. If this can improve the quality of drinking many wines by a lot then it's cheap relative to what I regularly consume without much after thought"

It is like you are actually saving money... haha.

I get a lot of enjoyment from using Zalto glasses, use them all the time and so get more ongoing enjoyment from the glass, than from a couple of non-descript $25 wines. Having said that, they are kinda expensive, so I just ask for a glass each birthday or Christmas present..

For Nebbiolo I usually use Zalto Burgundy. I also have some Riedel burgundy, and the Plumm Red B - just the machine made, not the big handmade ones. I like them and use them a fair bit, but usually prefer the Zalto.

The biggest drawback I've had with the Zalto glasses I do own (White Wine) is that they make my machine made Riedel Vinum's (Bordeaux) feel incredibly clumpy by comparison. I loved those Riedels, but Zalto have ruined them for me.

Taking all the comments I've seen in this thread in the main, I'm going to get myself a couple of Zalto Burg glasses to see how I go with them.

I might have a crack with the Plumm's (no pun intended!) in due course as well - I'll tell my wife that one is for Burgundy and one for Barolo. Only flaw in that plan is that I'll have to buy more Burgundy. Still, I'm sure I'm making an economy somewhere along the line...

A bit late to the party, have both Zalto and Plumm myself, in general I find the Plumm to be better for more tanninic / younger barolo & barbaresco, while softer / aged expressions or Langhe Nebbiolo tends to fire better in the Zalto. Both are superior to my tastes to Riedel burgundy glasses, however these are of course great as well.

Your mileage may vary.

Broke another Zalto. Geez they are frail.

On another slant, how are the others for breakages? Plumm?

JamieBahrain wrote:Broke another Zalto. Geez they are frail.

On another slant, how are the others for breakages? Plumm?

At the stem or the bowl?

Trialled the Conterno Sensory glass versus Zalto Burgundy. A friend and I opened 5 Barolos ( I'll post vibes on the Barolo thread ) from youthful, adolescent to mature.

I felt the Sensory a better glass. Aromatics deeper, more compact say. The palate was softer too- felt the Zalto had a sharpness and accentuated austerity that wasn't their with the Sensory.

Barolo and Barbaresco have complex aromatics- the best vintages, the best wines, often mimic the beautiful aromatics on the palate. I'll buy two Sensory glasses to trial whether a failure to deliver the aromatics in better flavour profile ( less austerity ) an issue with glassware.





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Dragzworthy wrote:

Benchmark wrote:

asajoseph wrote:Not sure where you are, but they seem widely available in Aus?

Also - could always get the machine-made Riedels?

Malaysia.

Few places in Singapore that will ship them to you...I've been thinking about getting some too

I did a complete flip and ordered the Gabriel glass from the Zalto supplier in Singapore.

See how it goes.