Once again Riedel Crystal is a step ahead.
This February, at the most important tabletop show, Frankfurt's
"Ambiente" the youngest of the Riedel Clan surprised
with another unique decanter design which he calls "Thumbs
Up", the name is based on the way you hold the decanter.
Riedel’s new Thumbs Up “O” Decanter ($160)
is a delightful confluence of function and fun. Designed by
Maximilian Riedel, the 11th generation of this Austrian glassmaking
dynasty, the Thumbs Up “O” decanter features a very
deep punt that accommodates the entire thumb, while the other
four fingers securely cradle the outside of the decanter. This
creates amazing stability and control when pouring and the elliptical
mouth allows a perfectly drip free pour. The Thumbs Up “O”
Decanter is hand blown, lead crystal and holds a standard 750
ml bottle of wine.
“In
designing a decanter the first thing you have to determine is
how does the wine pour—does it have a nice smooth flow
of wine, without dripping on the table. I like organic shapes
in decanters—my first design, Cornetto was inspired by
watching the swans at Aureole in Las Vegas’ Mandalay Bay
Hotel. There are beautiful swans swimming there and their graceful
necks gave me the idea for the Cornetto. Of course the “O”
glass that was introduced last year to great success was the
inspiration for the Thumbs Up “O” decanter,”
explained Maximilian Riedel. “The “O” glasses
are such a comfortable fit in your hand that I wanted to emulate
that sensation and shape with the new decanter.”
“Many
people think a decanter is only for a very old bottle of wine,
but I decant everything. For young red wines, the decanting
really opens them up and makes them more accessible and enjoyable.
It begins the aeration process that you carry on in the wine
glass as you swirl the wine before taking a sip. Of course for
older wines, the decanter helps you avoid any sediment, which
could spoil your enjoyment. Some people are intimidated by decanters
and find them unwieldy and awkward to use, but that’s
because they’re badly designed. The Thumbs Up “O”
decanter provides both great control and a very stylish look—and
when people try it they hate to put it down—it feels so
natural in your hand.”
Born
in 1977, Maximilian Riedel joined the family business in 1997
at the age of 20, first training in sales and administration.
He introduced Riedel to Dubai, and then spent two years in Paris
at Riedel and its French importer, Ercuis, where he managed
sales and conducted tastings.
In
2001, Maximilian created his first line of glassware—the
Riedel Restaurant line and in 2004 he introduced the successful,
and sometimes-controversial Riedel “O” line. The
“O”, a stemless glass series, is largely responsible
for pushing U.S. sales towards an estimated $34 million in 2004,
up from approximately $18 million the previous year. In December
2004, Maximilian Riedel was appointed CEO of Riedel Crystal
of America, which is the Austrian firm’s largest export
market. Maximilian Riedel plans to create more groundbreaking
glassware designs, while continuing to build the Riedel brand
as the glassware choice for discerning wine lovers.
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