In a recent World of Fine Wine Magazine comparative tasting of glasses, two varieties of Riedel glass were deemed the best overall for Pinot Noir. From a group of fourteen glasses, hailing from a variety of brands, the Riedel Grape Pinot Noir and the Riedel Vinum Pinot Noir both scored top marks of 16.5 points out of a possible 20. Glasses were tested by three wine experts using five wines and each glass was scored by the individual tester. A third Riedel glass, the VITIS Pinot Noir, was also tested and scored 15 points, placing it eighth. The results were published in the spring edition of World of Fine Wine Magazine.
Commenting on the specific glasses, the tasting panel, comprised of Andrew Jefford, Stephen Reinhard & Andreas Larson, noted the following;
- Riedel Grape Pinot Noir –
“A classic, thin Riedel glass that is very light and elegant in the hand. It copes well with vigorous swirling and is very good at opening up the aromatic profiles of the wines. This glass seems to add age to younger wines and is a very good all-rounder.”
- Riedel Vinum Pinot Noir
“The bowl of this glass is capacious, deep and round, and it sits happily in the hand or fingers. A lovely all-round Pinot glass, this softens and smoothes generous oakiness in the wines. With a nice shape, weight and design, this was one of the most consistent glasses that showed very nice proportions of fruits and acidity and, as such may be best for fresh European wines.” 
The wines used were:
- Domaine Armaud Rousseau Chambertin Close de Beze Grand Cru 1998
- Au Bon Climat Pinot Noir La Bauge Au-Dessus Santa Maria Valley, California 2007
- Ghislaine Barthod Chambolle-Musigny Premier Cru Aux Combottes 2008
- Furst Centgrafenburg Gross Gewachs Spatburgunder Franken Germany 2009
- Freycinet Louis Vineyard Pinot Noir 2008 Tasmania
To learn more about Riedel glassware, including their ranges made specifically for the hospitality industry, go here:
http://www.riedel.com/
