Riedel is the originator of the concept of having many different glasses with characteristics designed to enhance specific types of wines. These range from the short, narrow-mouthed port glass, holding around 250 mL, to the balloon-shaped Burgundy glass, capable of holding an entire bottle of wine. In theory, the different shapes direct the wine to different parts of the mouth, emphasizing the best characteristics of the class of wines. Another characteristic of Riedel glasses is that they are designed to hold a small amount of wine relative to the volume of the glass, allowing the aroma of the wine to collect in the bowl. Typically a normal "glass of wine" will occupy about a third or less of a Riedel stem.
The handmade mouth-blown crystal wine glass collection, Riedel Sommelier, is regarded as the finest in the world by many wine professionals. The critic Robert M. Parker, Jr. says, "The finest glasses for both technical and hedonistic purposes are those made by Riedel. The effect of these glasses on fine wine is profound. I cannot emphasize enough what a difference they make." While the product line started with the Sommelier series, it also now includes significantly less expensive machine blown-crystal as well as ordinary glass. The principle of specialized stemware having been firmly established by Riedel's keen design sense and marketing, similar glasses are now widely available from other manufacturers.
Riedel's latest releases include the "O" collection of varietal-specific glasses and their stemless wine glasses." - (Wikipedia)
