Kitchen & Housewares : Riedel Spirit of O Spirits Glass, Set of 2

Rating: - perfect for a spirits tasting
The five star rating reflects an appreciation for this purely as a spirits glass. When used for white wine, your hand warms the wine too quickly and if you're standing up at a tasting, you end up balancing the glass on the tips of your fingers. However, it is just the right size for a shot of spirits and the body warmth effect is a benefit.

A great deal of your experience of spirits comes from the aromas that develop in the air above the surface of the wine. A glass that forces the liquor to have a large surface area for its volume and then narrows to concentrate the vapors will increase the flavor experience. Glasses with a thin lip seem to interfere less with the taste of booze than thicker (and cheaper) glasses. The shape of the glass makes a difference, too. Since we can only smell molecules that are in the air, the best tasting glass is going to promote evaporation by exposing the largest possible surface area to the air. These glasses are wide at the waist and narrow at the top. Does it make a difference? You bet-and in every taste test that I've been part of, Riedel glasses win hands down.

(For more information on the factors that effect the taste of wine-Storage, Air, Temperature, Food and Context, see New Short Course in Wine,The)


It shouldn't be necessary to mention that a spirits glass should be clean and odorless. But sometimes restaurants, in their zeal to make their glassware clean use rinsing aids that leave behind a strong mineral smell. If you're spending a lot of money on a bottle of wine in a restaurant, sniff the empty glass first. At home, a film of grease can settle on a previously clean glass. It's no reflection on the quality of the housekeeping-cooking fats disperse in the air and settle on everything in a kitchen. An additional rinsing and a wipe with a clean towel are all you need.


Lynn Hoffman, author of New Short Course in Wine,The and the tasty bang BANG: A Novel

---

Rating: - Stemless wine glass
I really like these glasses. They are attractive and pleasant to hold. I prefer having a wine glass that doesn't contain a lot of wine - which is why I got these since they are the smallest in this line.