Intro & Glasses

Steve H. · Post by **Steve H.** » Tue Jan 31, 2006 7:52 pm

Hello all,

My name is Steve, I live just the other side of the Cascade mountains from Roy, in Yakima, WA. I recently discovered this website and am enjoying it and learning from it.

I have accumulated a horizontal of 1994 Ports I am kind of proud of (about 14 of them I think), which I am cellaring to open when I retire in about 15 years.

I love any desert wine, from late harvest types to Port, Sauternes, Ice wines, etc. I have never tried a Madiera, but I just ordered the Broadbent Malmsey 10 years due to the recommendations on this board. I am looking forward to that.

I also enjoy regular wine, and focus on washington state offerings almost exclusively. My two favorites are Walla Walla Vintners and Leonetti. I don't drink much, maybe 2-3 times a month, but value drinking well when I do.

I have a question that I am sure has been asked before. I have general "Red" & "White" Reidel wine glasses, but do not have any for desert wines. What do you recommend that would cover all (most) desert wines? It would be hard for me to justify buying seperate glasses for each of the variety of desert wines.

Thanks, Steve

Frederick Blais · Post by **Frederick Blais** » Tue Jan 31, 2006 8:02 pm

Welcome on the board Steve. About the glasses, you may take a look at this post:

http://fortheloveofport.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=78

Mike Kerr · Post by **Mike Kerr** » Tue Jan 31, 2006 9:18 pm

For what its worth, I didn't want to go buy a new set of glasses either, especially seeing the price of the Reidel's, but I managed to find a set of 6 port glasses from Luminarc at one of my local wine shops for $20. I have also used some glasses I've had for years that my mother used for desserts. They also have a stem and are probably double the capacity of my port glasses, but have a wider top and is shallower. I find with these you get less alcohol on the nose, but also less concentration of the other good aromas.

Mike.

Al B. · Post by **Al B.** » Wed Feb 01, 2006 7:04 am

Welcome Steve,

The question of glasses to use is one that is often asked (and so is a candidate for the 12 Most Frequently Asked Questions About Port - hint to Roy

)

It really is a personal preference thing. I always used to use a standard ISO tasting glass when I first started drinking port. This seemed to work really well until I went to a wine tasting hosted by Georg Riedel where he demonstrated the difference in the way the same wine can taste out of different shaped glasses. For me, with my size of nose and my shape mouth and tongue (and I'm not kidding - it really is that personal :? ) the Riedel glass came out a clear winner. Ever since then I have used a Riedel vinum port glass whenever I can.

If I'm travelling and don't want to risk one of my Riedel glasses then I take my ISO tasting glasses.

However, I have also learned that what works for me does not necessarily work for someone else. I would urge you to experiment. Pour the same wine into as many different shaped glasses as you can and see which one works for you. Make sure you include red and white, brandy and sherry glasses.

Also remember that what works best for port may not necessarily work best for other wines - I do have different (Riedel) glasses for port, tawny port, botrytis wines and for fortified shiraz. However, that's probably as much to do with me falling for the marketing hype from Riedel as any perceived difference in the way the wines taste.

Essentially, my suggestion to you is to experiment and find what's best for you. It might be the same as what works for me, it might be different.

Good luck - and let us know how you get on.

Alex

Post by **Roy Hersh** » Tue Feb 07, 2006 12:50 am

Hi Steve,

We're glad you have signed up and hope you'll share your knowledge. Please do join our Seattle/Eastside offline dinners too!

As far as glasses go, Port glasses are really pretty great for all types of dessert wines. You can use a white wine glass (smaller is better) too when there is no choice. Certainly when you do that 1994 Port horizontal tasting (keep in touch, I have MANy to share and would drive to Yakima ... in 15 years

) you will want to either rent glassware or have identical glasses for each person doing the tasting, so that results are analogous. There are many good brands of Port glass out there, but I have seen some crazy glassware including large Brandy Snifters used for Port and thimble sized Cordial glassware. IF you don't like the size of Port glasses, my next fave are the Riedel Sauternes glasses (but they are the Sommelier series) that dessert wines tend to show very well in.

John Conwell · Post by **John Conwell** » Sun Apr 23, 2006 8:29 pm

Hi Steve, I've found a great source for dessert wine glases here in Seattle. Cost Plus World Market has some for a buck fifty each. I'm sure the glass quality isnt the best, but I've studdied the shape of high end dessert wine glasses and these are very comperable.

I have a question. Does the quality of glass make any difference in drinking wine. I wouldnt think so, but I'm not all that up on my wine knowledge. If the shape and size are the only factors, then these glasses are really a great deal

Post by **Andy Velebil** » Sun Apr 23, 2006 8:44 pm

John,

Glass is glass, IMHO. For daily drinking I use a rather thick commercial port glass. The shape is basically the same as my more expensive Riedel port glasses, but the glass is thicker to stand up to daily abuse. I usually only break out the good glasses when drinking a VP or older colheita/tawny.

Thanks for the heads up, they just opened a Cost Plus near my house so I will have to drop by and see if they have the same glasses, as I need a few more inexpensive daily glasses.