Oregon Pinot Thrill or Overkill?

Oregon winemakers and Georg Riedel have spent two years in research, evaluation, and comparative tastings to design a new shape of wine glass especially for Oregon Pinot Noir. The idea sprang from a conversation between International Pinot Noir Celebration Executive Director Amy Wasselman and Georg Riedel.

In a workshop format, winemakers, wine writers, and sommeliers evaluated a number of Riedel glasses. The Vinum Extreme was found to focus the beautiful aromas of Oregon Pinot Noir, but on the palate, the Grand Cru Burgundy glass was the clear winner. The Grand Cru glass highlighted the velvety texture of Oregon Pinot Noir and softened the edges of younger wines.

After preliminary tastings, a number of Oregon’s best Pinot Noirs were shipped to Austria for Georg Riedel to work with at his facility. The final glass chosen was a large-bowled, tulip-shaped glass that glares out at the top.

This glass was presented along with eleven others in a subsequent workshop. Tasters agreed that the slight flared opening of this glass seemed to focus aromas and its flared lip reproduced the mouth-feel tasters had experienced with the Grand Cru Burgundy glass. The glass will be officially unveiled at this summer’s International Pinot Noir Celebration in McMinnville, Oregon on July 27-29, 2007. For details phone 800-775- IPNC or consult the website at www.ipnc.org. A picture of the new stem was not available at press time.