Wine Poll #004: Poking Fun At or Admiring Riedel "O" Glasses

[Robin Garr]

They're ugly.

They probably work in that they hold wine and allow you to drink it, but they are completely lacking in elegence and taste, and wine is all about elegence and taste. If you just want something that works, then you can drink water.

I'm probably being a bit too strong, and I could see using these on a boat where stems would tip over. The point is that these are not a viable option for drinking wine INHO except where stemware is not an option.

Josh, you do understand, don't you, that these are essentially Riedel bowls without stems, simply slightly flattened at the bottom? Do you consider Riedels with stems ugly, or are you saying that a glass stem adds beauty to what is otherwise an awkward and tacky tulip-shaped crystal vessel?

[Daniel Rogov]

Robin, Hi.....

True that beauty (or ugliness) is in the eyes of the beholder, but I am tempted to agree with Ryan. Carrying what I consider the ridiculous to what may well be the absurd, imagine the aesthetics of sawing the legs off a Steinway piano or placing a Lambhorghini sports car on roller skates instead of automobile tires.

Letting my imagation having free run, I cannot help but think of the "O" glasses as sharks with puckered cheeks because their teeth have been pulled or a rabbit without floppy ears. And don't get me wrong - I love floppy eared rabbits and even enjoy being frightened by the thought of sharks with a great many teeth.

Agreed, the bowls are fine crystal but if Riedel thought that flattened bottoms were just fine for drinking wine, why did he not make his stemmed glasses with flattened bottoms?

Ye faithful curmudgeon
Rogov

[Robin Garr]

Ye faithful curmudgeon

And well 'mudged indeed!

I have no spirit for a battle on this ... as I've stated, I don't mind the Os - as I don't mind tumblers in an Italian trattoria - but I probably use mine once or twice a year.