Riedel Ouverture Magnum Glass, Set of 2-6408/90

Several years ago my husband and I took "wine class;" that is, a community course about wines, food pairings, history, etc. The teacher had mentioned that larger, crystal glasses were perfect for red wines, but we dallied for a few years before finally getting a set. Frankly, I was surprised at how great these glasses were. They are a really nice size, only moderately larger than the usual wine glasses, but about twice as large as the less expensive kind you find at discount stores. The shape is elegant, perfect for casual as well as nice dinners.They really do improve the overall experience of red wines. The larger bowl means the wine gets exposed to more air and can breathe. My husband is convinced the very slight lip on the glasses helps as well. Also, your nose gets down into the glass when you drink, and since scent and taste are so closely linked it really improves the overall flavor. We've used these with grenache, cabernet sauvignon, merlot, zinfandel, and blends.My only complaint is that these are somewhat more delicate than I'm used to. It's not a complaint about the glasses themselves, but more of a warning to others. The stem on one broke the very first day we used it, after a relatively light tap against a casserole dish sitting next to it in the kitchen. I bought a second set and hand wash them, as I wouldn't personally put these through the dishwasher because they are somewhat thin. For the price, I would definitely recommend this to anyone who enjoys red wines.

Through attrition, and clumsiness, all the wine glasses I have left were 14 to 16 oz. Why do you need a 16 oz. glass, when the nominal serving of wine is 4 or 5 oz.? For high-end wines, it gives the wine plenty of room for the bouquet to develop.That is important. But what if you can't or won't buy much high-end wine? 95% of the wine I buy is $7 to $15.( There are amazingly good wines in that range if you look hard.) These glasses seem very well made, with cut and well polished rims,(not sharp, like some of the higher end glasses). They weigh 2 oz. less than my good 16 oz. glasses, and are 2" shorter. Much less cumbersome. If you want to smell the bouquet,, pour only an ounce or two, and swirl. The rim diameter is2 1/8". I have what I consider a "generous" nose, and with the rim at my lips, my nose does fit inside as far as I want. A 5 oz. serving comes up slightly above the halfway point in the glass, giving you a good feel for an appropriate serving. I will buy more of these.

I was afraid they would be very fragile until I dropped one. They are a lot more durable than they look. These are very nice beer glasses and I use them all the time

More like a water glass than a wine glass. Squatty. Durable glass.

I use these glasses as a generic tasting glass. Not only do they work well for white wine but for many other fortified wines and spirits as well.Granted it is ideal to use the specific glass for each wine or spirit you drink or taste. Cost of stocking such a selection of glassware to compliment my drinking taste prohibits my doing soShould you attend any commercial wine tasting you will find yourself presented with a commercial version of this glass at every table. You will need to adjust your tasting abilities to maximize the qualities this style of glass will offer.The point is that this glass will do most people great service with many drinking/tasting opportunities. Should you have a wine, spirit, or fortified wine worth hundreds of dollars then you might consider investing in a glass designed specifically for your beverage (i.e., a rare single malt, port, vintage wine, or sherry).I only wish Riedel would make a glass for Absinthe.

I feel in love with this glass after using it in a Steakhouse, and I just had to have it! These glasses are big, but not too big/comical. I love having a smaller amount of wine in my glass so that it may cool and breath, and these glasses allow me to have a heavier pour while still getting the same affect as a smaller pour in a regular sized glass. These glasses feel delicate yet sturdy enough that I am not afraid to use it. I think these would make an excellent gift for any red wine lover.

These are huge, but that’s a good thing. Lots of room to swirl. I’m tempted to get rid of all my other glasses because these are so much better. Was looking for the smaller glass in the second photo but apparently it’s no longer available from Riedel. That one was found at a thrift store and seemed quite large to me. These were as close to it as I could find and they dwarf it. Didn’t rate sturdiness and durability (is there a difference?) because I’ve used them only a few times, but I suspect they’re quite fragile. I wash them very carefully by hand.

This was the first time we bought Riedel glassware. It will be the last. One of the glasses came out broken of dishwasher the second time we washed it. Our dishwasher is a top-of-the-line Bosch. I had never pulled out a broken glassware from it before.I contacted their customer service. They very politely responded that it wasn’t their problem and I should contact Amazon!I then questioned the truthfulness of their warranty. They responded with a gigantic discount code of 5% (which wouldn’t even cover shipping which was free on Amazon).A few minutes after I started writing this review, I emptied the dishwasher. To my surprise, a second glass had cracked. These glasses are not dishwasher-safe...What a joke. Flimsy product quality and unreliable customer service.Never again for me. Thank you.