VOLUME VI / ISSUE VII / JULY 2022
In Search In Pursuitof ofSolace the Perfect Glassware C R Y S TA L- C L E A R
IT'S ALL ABOUT THE
GLASS
WILLIAM SMITH @willismith_2000 COPY EDITOR & CONTRIBUTOR
W
HEN THE
SEASONS ALLOW, DINING AL FRESCO IS A FAVORITE OF MINE. THANKFULLY, OUR SEASON FOR DOING SO IS LONG IN SANTA FE, N.M., AND MANY RESTAURANTEURS TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT, AND OF COURSE, THE MOVE TO OUTDOOR DINING BROUGHT ABOUT BY THE PANDEMIC INCREASED OUR LOCAL OPTIONS. page 198
And so it was that recently I was enjoying lunch with a friend at one of my favorite outdoor dining spots, a gorgeous courtyard that locals and tourists alike flock to for excellent food and libations, as well as some of the best people-watching in town. It being a warm and sun-filled day, I ordered a glass of White Burgundy that I had also ordered on a previous occasion and loved. Out it came, and then I remembered another part of that first experience – the glass in which it was served was not for me. Perhaps outdoor dining may require a sturdier glass than say a fine crystal one, but this glass was thick. And heavy. The opposite of what I felt both the wine and the day called for. I then proceeded to do exactly what I had done on the previous visit and asked for a different glass and apologized, a second time, for “being fussy.”
It led me to ponder – does the glass matter? Am I being fussy or is there something else going on here? The wine glass industry is serious – and big – business. Take Riedel which bills itself as “The Wine Glass Company,” and for good reason. Perhaps no other wine glass maker has become as popularized as Riedel, taking even the casual wine drinker to a deeper appreciation of the glass itself. Super giant retailer Target even carries Riedel in an exclusive line called the “Vivant” line. On Riedel’s own website, the choices are endless. Dozens of options are available for reds with specific glasses offered up for wines from Bordeaux and Burgundy, for Old and New World Pinot Noirs, for Syrahs and Cabernets, glasses with stems and without, and varying bowl designs and holding capacity. The same