Suckling launches “100 Points” wine glass

American wine critic James Suckling has launched an £80, multi-purpose, “100 Points” wine glass in collaboration with French crystal company Lalique.

The “100 Points” glass

Working with Lalique designer Marc Larminaux in Paris, Suckling scoured books of old Lalique designs in search of inspiration for the “ideal” wine glass.

“My parents and grandparents had Lalique at home in LA and it was always considered the benchmark for beautiful crystal in my family,” Suckling said.

Each 100 Points glass, which features a medium, U-shaped bowl and a frosted rib stem, takes 15-20 workers to make over a period of 4-5 days.

In direct competition with Austrian glassware makers Riedel, which prides itself on offering wine-specific glass, from Chianti to Chardonnay, Suckling’s glass has been designed specifically to suit all wine types – red, white, young and old.

Suckling, who retired after 29 years as chief of the European bureau of the Wine Spectator in 2010, claims he has tasted over 150,000 wines.

“While working for the WS, I always tasted from the same four Riedel glasses, which made me believe in a ‘one glass for everything’ philosophy,” Suckling said.

He describes the 100 Points glass as: “neo-classical in design and style.”

Admitting that the idea of a glass for all wines “is not a new one,” Suckling revealed he is working on a Champagne glass, as he believes the traditional flute “does not do the wine justice.”

In addition to running his own wine website, Suckling is the wine editor for a group of Asian luxury magazines, including Hong Kong Tatler, Macau Tatler, and Singapore Tatler.