Riedel launches ‘super-light’ collection

Riedel has unveiled a “Superleggero” range of wine glasses, offering its array of grape variety-specific shapes in a lighter model.

At £135 per glass, the new range is considerably more expensive than Riedel’s core “Vinum” collection, which sells for £45 per pair, but is positioned slightly below its £150-per-glass “Sommeliers Collector’s Edition Black Series”.

For the first time, Riedel has labeled the base of each glass in the 10-strong Superleggero range with the specific wine style it has been designed to show off.

Options range across Bordeaux Grand Cru, Burgundy Grand Cru, Loire, Moscato Coupe Cocktail, Oaked Chardonnay, Champagne Flute, Hermitage/Shiraz, Viognier/Chardonnay and Riesling/Zinfandel. There is also a £325 slimline decanter.

In common with other Riedel products, these Superleggero wine glasses are handmade and mouth-blown at the company’s Tyrol factory; however in order to create its lightweight style the product is lead-free with an adapted stem.

Introducing this latest addition to the Riedel portfolio, CEO Maximilian Riedel commented: “Drawing on 60 years of wine experience and expertise, the new Riedel Superleggero Series is designed to carry the charm of a handmade glass with added superior lightness.”

The launch follows a number of other recent developments in the glassware industry, including a “spill-proof” wine glass created by a San Francisco design company and a “Zero Gravity” cocktail glass designed to help astronauts enjoy a martini in space.