My first glass epiphany surfaced with a craving to "get it". Bill Rosich, of Kansas City, was my stem guru...
Stems/Glassware
The Iberian cave dwellers of the Pleistene Age used baked clay, bowl-like, cups to drink from... We've come a long way. There is no shortage of quality stems and glassware.Today, several producers make specifically shaped, aroma-enhancing, glasses to drink and taste various wine varieties, spirits types, and beer styles.
Does a particular red wine glass really make a difference? Is it important for a Champagne flute to keep the bubbles and mousse alive or is the underlying fruit better discovered in a Champagne birdbath or Riesling glass? Shape and style controversies remain with Port, single malt, brandy, and other glassware. The nose is a huge factor in determining flavor. Let's explore!
Written by Anthony Garcia
The picture on the left shows the candidates. From left to right: the Single Malt Glass from Riedel, the Clear Spirits Glass from Schott Zwiesel (Top Ten Series), the Spirits Glass 40ml from Schott Zwiesel (Paris Series), the Barrel Aged Spirits Glass from Schott Zwiesel (Top Ten Series).
Parameters:
I poured 1/2 oz of the 13 Year Aged Hart Brothers "Finest Collection" Teaninich Distillery Single Malt Scotch Whisky (43% abv); I did not cut with water; I evaluated by nose only; with Scotch, palate is important and bouquet is everything.
The winner by far was the Schott Zwiesel Barrel Aged Spirit Glass (Top Ten Series). Ranking second in the comparison was Riedel's Single Malt Glass, third was the Clear Spirits Glass, fourth was the 40ml Glass.
Let's say the Scotch was music and the glassware was the stereo- amplifier. The 40ml Glass was like turning the nob to 3. The Clear Spirits Glass was like increasing the volume to 4. The Riedel was like cranking the nob to 7 and the Barrel Aged Glass increased the amplifier to 8.
I gained much more from an olfactory standpoint using the winner than the other glasses, allowing me to smell much more of the whisky's honey, toffee, fireplace, salt & gauze.
The one advantage the Riedel had over the Schott Zwiesel was in its ability to diminish the alcohol heat from the bouquet. This isn't a deal breaker for me. It's Scotch, you're going to smell some alcohol.
about the author: Anthony Garcia
At 26 years old, Anthony Garcia accomplished what many culinary professionals dream of when he opened the doors of his own restaurant, Tocai in Austin, Texas. The former Four Seasons Hotel sommelier quickly established his Mediterranean-style bistro as the location for great food, service and unique wines. Above all, Tocai was renowned for the hands-on approach of its owner and his ability to match the perfect wine to the guest’s meal. During this period, Sommelier Anthony Garcia personally served some of the world’s top wine professionals, including Peter Weygandt, Caroline Krug, Eric Solomon, Fritz Hasselbach, Robert Eymael, Dan Philips and Leonardo LoCascio. In late 2001, at the age of 30, Anthony Garcia became the sommelier of Emilia’s, a modern French restaurant, also in Austin, Texas. His dedication in managing the vast wine cellar earned Emilia’s the distinguished Best of Award of Excellence from Wine Spectator in August 2002. In autumn of that year, Sommelier Garcia traveled extensively through the Rheingau, Mosel, and Rheinhessen to visit his favorite vineyards during harvest and study aged Riesling. He was afforded the privilege to taste Rieslings from vintages as old as 1953. He then traveled through France, visiting Alsace, Champagne, Burgundy, the Rhone, the Languedoc, Bandol, Bordeaux, and the Loire. He values this trip not only for the hospitality shown to him by winemakers such as Philippe Foreau, Fritz Hasselbach, Gunter Künstler, and Jean-Marie Fourrier, but also for the opportunity to experience, firsthand, the style of restaurant service he was taught many years ago at the Café at the Four Seasons, not as a part of a corporate standard, but as a dedicated way of life.
In 2003, Anthony Garcia focused on his writing and released Paying Attention: A Guide to Wine with Food. He also began work on his second book, Never Save your Fork: An Insider’s Guide to Restaurant Service, a dining guidebook for the guest.
In August 2009, Anthony Garcia passed the rigorous Court of Master Sommeliers Advanced Examination. In addition to continuing his pursuit of the Court’s Masters Diploma, Anthony enjoys exploring the world of well-crafted cocktails, riding his bicycle and quiet meals at home with his wife Anne.
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