Stemware

One enjoyable aspect of sampling wines for me is the crystal that is used. I love looking at a nicely-shaped stem. Above are the main glasses that I use, which I thought I'd post here just because I like the way they look. All of them are made by Riedel, mainly from the Vinum line but I think there's one from the Extreme and also one from the Sommelier line. Whatever, I just feel that the stemware enhances the experience.

Do the different shapes influence the wine's bouquet and taste, as Riedel claims? I think so. Not to as large a degree as they say they do, but maybe that's because my nose and tastebuds aren't up to par. I'd say the choice of crystal also has a psychological influence just because of the positive effect on the wine's appearance.

Anyway, that's the post of the day - I'm a sucker for a nice wine stem. If you're interested in purchasing them, the L.A. Wine Company has pretty good prices (I have no affiliation with them, I just think they're a good operation).