Robb from Riedel Dishes the Stemware 411 on 6/25

Does the glass you sip wine from truly make a difference in impressions about fragrance and flavor?  We’re going to find out when Robb Lloyd—the factory guy from the world’s premiere stemware company—presents a Riedel symposium and tasting at Carpe Vino on June 25 at 4 p.m.  This is another installment of our “Sunday Evening Series” of special events.

To facilitate this investigation of olfactory nuances, we’ll be sipping from four different vessels, each tuned to the specific dynamics of five varietals:  Sauvignon Blanc/Zinfandel, Chardonnay, Burgundy and Bordeaux.  Each guest will receive a German-made Riedel “Veritas” tasting set of four lead crystal glasses (completely safe, really) to take home (retail price everywhere is circa $140).  This exploration will feature four wines; the “lecture” will be followed by a social time with more wine and a tasty charcuterie display created by Chef Alexander.

Cost per person is $125, inclusive of the tasting set, tax and consumables.  This is a “ticketed” event with pre-paid reservations made online only. (no refunds after June 22).  Additional tasting sets may be purchased the evening of the event only for $100 each.  We’ll also have special pricing on the wines being tasted.

The skeptics among you might conclude that the glass you drink from doesn’t make any difference at all in your enjoyment of wine. . .or at least not enough to justify the purchase of multiple stems.  In fact, this is one of the great controversies facing wine professionals globally.  We stay up nights worrying about it.

The truth is elusive, but the path to understanding is to totally surrender your palate to Riedel Robb for an hour or so.  He’ll start by leading you through the basics of stem architecture (seriously), glass hygiene, serving parameters (temperature, amount poured), why crystal and how to care for stemware.

Then, the rubber meets the road (or more succinctly, the wine hits the bowl) when Robb discusses how to taste and then takes us through a tour of all four stems. . .and more.  Resisting the power of suggestion, you can decide for yourself if there is a perceptible benefit to varietal-specific glasses.

Minimally, every person will go home with a beautiful set of four thin-walled glasses that make any wine you consume eminently elegant and enjoyable. We guarantee!

Here are the wines we’ll be serving, with special pricing:

2015 de Ladoucette Pouilly-Fume (France), $35.95/bottle retail, $29.95/bottle on 6+
2015 Flowers Chardonnay (Sonoma Coast), $44.95/bottle retail, $37.50/bottle 6+
2014 Whetstone “Jon Boat” Pinot Noir (Sonoma Coast), $50/bottle retail,$29.95/bottle on 6+
2014 Faust Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley), $52.50/bottle retail, $39.95/bottle on 6+

As with all of our Sunday events, there is limited seating, so don’t delay.  Reserve your seats today!