a 300 year-old family owned company
RIEDEL - The Wine Glass Company
Established in 1756, RIEDEL CRYSTAL has been at the forefront of glassmaking for over 275 years, spanning eleven generations. Family-owned and operated by Georg J. Riedel (10th generation) and Maximilian J. Riedel (11th generation), RIEDEL is globally recognized for designing and producing the highest quality glasses and decanters that enhance the enjoyment of wine and spirits. RIEDEL’s collections cater to every lifestyle and price range, ensuring there's a series for every wine lover—be it for critical wine evaluation, a casual gathering, or an elegant dinner.
Pioneers of Grape Varietal-Specific Glassware
In the late 1950s, Claus J. Riedel (9th generation) revolutionized the industry by introducing wine-friendly stemware, recognizing that the taste and aroma of a beverage are influenced by the shape of the vessel. This innovation led to the development of grape varietal-specific glassware by Georg J. Riedel (10th generation), a concept that has become a cornerstone of RIEDEL’s design philosophy.
The RIEDEL Trademark
RIEDEL’s trademark, dating back to the Art Nouveau period (1890–1925), was reintroduced in 1996 to commemorate the company’s 240th anniversary. This distinctive signature is featured on the base of all handmade and hand-finished products, allowing customers to distinguish them from our machine-made offerings, which offer the stamped RIEDEL trademark. Notably, on handmade glassware, this mark also includes the year of production—making every piece not just a vessel, but a time capsule of craftsmanship.
This clear distinction is part of our commitment to transparency and excellence. Whether hand-crafted or produced by machine, every RIEDEL glass reflects our pursuit of the perfect wine experience.
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The quality of the glass plays a crucial role here and RIEDEL produces the largest range of high-quality glasses, specifically fine-tuned to fit the predominant wine varietals of the planet. RIEDEL makes it possible to fully appreciate all the nuances of aromas and tastes from the best wines in the world.
Michel Bettane
Guide Bettane et Desseauve
Why Shape Matters
Every RIEDEL glass is engineered to elevate the four key sensations of wine =
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Bouquet: The shape of the bowl directs aromas to the nose, amplifying the wine’s aromatic profile and revealing its complexity.
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Texture: The design influences how the wine flows across the palate, shaping how you perceive body, balance, and tannins.
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Flavor: Rim diameter and bowl depth determine where the wine lands on the tongue—guiding acidity, sweetness, and bitterness to the right taste receptors.
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Finish: A well-matched glass accentuates the wine’s finish, allowing its character to linger with clarity and finesse.
RIEDEL’s stemware is built around three precise elements—the bowl, the stem, and the base. This architecture is not ornamental, but functional: the height of the stem ensures the wine is undisturbed by body heat, while the base’s width provides ideal stability. The bowl’s shape, size, and rim diameter are carefully calibrated to suit specific grape varietals, because each wine type has its own aromatic fingerprint, thickness of skin and structural demands.
This is the heart of grape varietal-specific stemware: it’s not about luxury for luxury’s sake—it’s about serving wine in a vessel that does justice to the winemaker’s craft.
Comprised of three parts: bowl – stem – base
The Architecture of Stemware
When these elements follow the correct ratio, the result is not only aesthetically pleasing but also structurally sound. This is the principle behind timeless tabletop “classics,” composed using the golden architectural formula.
The concept of harmonious glass design began gaining traction around 1920, led by pioneering Viennese architects such as Adolf Loos, Josef Hoffmann, and Otto Ertl. In the late 1950s, Claus J. Riedel revived and refined this approach, combining it with the stylistic influence of classic French and Irish stemware. The result: glassware that is both visually stunning and sensorially precise.
Hand-Made / Hand-Finished Glassware
The art of mouth-blown glass dates back over 2,000 years to the Roman Empire, where the technique first emerged. At RIEDEL’s factory in Kufstein, we proudly carry this tradition forward by crafting hand-made and hand-finished crystal glassware to the highest standards.
Each item is individually shaped and refined by our master glassmakers, whose experience and skill ensure excellence across every piece. Due to the handcrafted nature of the process, small variations in size, weight, bubbles, or surface texture are not flaws—they are signs of authenticity, character, and artisanal quality.
Machine-Made & Premium Machine-Made Glassware
While RIEDEL is celebrated for its artisanal craftsmanship, we are equally recognized as pioneers in cutting-edge machine manufacturing. Our machine-made glasses represent a pinnacle of precision, offering consistency, durability, and affordability without compromising performance.
Even more advanced is our premium machine-made technology, found in collections like RIEDEL Veloce and RIEDEL Superleggero. These glasses are produced using state-of-the-art techniques that allow for profiles and varietal-specific shapes previously reserved for handmade items. The result: unmatched sensory accuracy, elegant proportions, and outstanding value—crafted at scale by the leaders in wine glass innovation.
Finding the Right RIEDEL Glass
To find your perfect match, visit our Wine Glass Guide and discover the shape designed for your favorite varietal.
Is There One Glass for All My Wines?
There are a few versatile shapes that perform beautifully across a range of wine styles. Our recommendations:
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RIEDEL Wine Friendly - Magnum
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RIEDEL Wine Friendly - Red Wine
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OUVERTURE Magnum
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VINUM Riesling Grand Cru
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GRAPE@RIEDEL
That said, remember the most important fact: shape matters. To experience a wine’s full potential—its balance, bouquet, and depth—specificity in glass shape makes all the difference.
One Glass Fits All? Not Quite.
Can one glass provide the same experience for every wine? Absolutely not. A wine’s bouquet, taste, balance, and finish are all influenced by the shape of the glass.
In fact, these differences can be so dramatic that even seasoned wine experts have mistaken them for entirely different wines—simply by changing the glass. RIEDEL has spent decades developing shapes that bring harmony to a wine and emphasize its unique character.
Every grape varietal has a distinct DNA—aromatic profiles, acid structures, tannin levels and thickness of skin—which is why choosing the correct glass is essential.
A Commitment to Excellence
Top-rated wineries and restaurants around the world trust RIEDEL for their glassware needs. As Michel Bettane of the Guide Bettane et Desseauve notes, "It takes a great deal of effort for a talented winemaker to produce a good wine. These efforts can be ruined in no time if the wine is not served properly." At RIEDEL, we produce a large range of high-quality glasses, specifically fine-tuned to fit the predominant wine varietals of the planet, making it possible to fully appreciate all the nuances of aromas and tastes from the best wines in the world.
Born from the groundbreaking RIEDEL Superleggero series, these machine-blown glasses are among the lightest and thinnest ever crafted, ensuring that nothing stands between you and the wine’s purest expression. Each glass is elevated with a hand-applied transparent stem and anchored by a solid black crystal base, adding an unmistakable sense of contrast and refinement. No two are exactly alike, making every piece as unique as the occasion it graces.
For more than 50 years RIEDEL has defined the art of fine drinkware. Now, we bring that unparalleled sophistication to spaces where glass simply isn’t an option—poolside, at the spa, on sun-drenched terraces, and in vibrant outdoor venues.
Crafted with Tritan™ from Eastman, this collection offers exceptional clarity, shatter resistance, and BPA-free safety, making it the ultimate solution for high-end hospitality and private entertaining alike. Durable yet refined, practical yet elegant, the RIEDEL Resort Collection transforms any setting into an elevated experience.
Discover the versatility of 2024 GRAPE@RIEDEL! A trio of sizes perfect for an array of wines, fun drinks, and cocktails. Meticulously crafted for varietal precision, these glasses excel in both mixology and wine enjoyment. Embrace professionalism with optimal fill levels and enjoy the multi-tasking design of GRAPE@RIEDEL – where style, functionality, and affordability meet.
In homage to the 50th Anniversary of Sommeliers, which changed the art of glassmaking as we knew it, RIEDEL Superleggero has reintroduced the glass shapes and transformed into a precision-made, machine-crafted collection, setting a new benchmark for premium machine-made wine glasses.
moderate price and dishwasher safe
RIEDEL Veloce (2022)
Modern glass that impresses through its balance and haptics
RIEDEL Veloce is an impressive development based on state-of-the-art technology from RIEDEL’s own factory in Weiden, Germany. RIEDEL wine glasses are developed through workshops in different shapes and sizes for specific grape varieties. Only highly advanced machine production can guarantee such precise and functional glass design language, in harmony with the respective profile of grape variety.
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Instead of being functional and matched to the grape variety, the glasses of the RIEDEL Wine Friendly collection are designed for a specific purpose.
With this collection, RIEDEL is responding to a worldwide increase in demand for "easy to use" entry-level glasses. The collection was originally developed as a mise-en-place for the restaurant industry, where universal glasses are preferred due to limited storage space.
RIEDEL LAUDON (2020)
EYECATCHER
Presented in stunning colors like precious gems, the RIEDEL Laudon Tumblers are truly eyecatching. The luxurious cut-crystal design reflects light to allow the tumblers to sparkle. Perfect for whisky, water, cocktails or mixed drinks, these glasses will add style to any table setting and can be purchased individually for a truly unique look.
A flat-bottomed glass, wide and reminiscent of the wing of an aircraft, complete with winglets. Over the course of a year, through many tastings and by making changes to shape, size and rim diameter, what began as one glass for one grape varietal developed into seven different glasses to represent the most popular grape varietals.
RIEDEL Winewings was born and was about to take flight!
Extreme was developed in sensory workshops by experts and is specially designed for the optimum enjoyment of New World wines. Executed in clear, brilliant crystal by RIEDEL in Bavaria, Germany, Extreme perfectly shows the true colors and depths of the wine. These glasses feature a broad, angled, grape varietal specific bowl, which enhances the wine’s aromas, opening up the wine to reveal every subtle nuance. Extreme delivers the wine perfectly onto the palate, balancing and harmonizing the fruit, acidity and tannins and highlighting the wine‘s delicious flavors.
RIEDEL HIGH PERFORMANCE (2020)
OPTIC IMPACT AND XL STEM
The machine-produced visual effect has a positive impact on the taste experience: not only does it give the chalice an attractive appearance, it also increases the internal surface area. This allows the champagne to open up and bring out its full aroma, with all its subtle nuances. The long drawn stems are a masterpiece of the glassmaker‘s art. They give the glass an exclusive, unique elegance.
Launched in 2019, RIEDEL Drink Specific Glassware offers perfect glasses for thousands of different cocktails. The collection includes iconic shapes such as Neat, Rocks, Highball, Fizz, Sour, and a Nick & Nora glass. Recent additions to the collection includes, among others, a Double Rocks, a Coffee glass, and a large Nick & Nora glass. The collection was designed to match specific cocktails, as well as the ice cube size needs. Elevate your cocktail experience with RIEDEL‘s expertly designed glassware.
First presented in 2019 RIEDEL Fatto A Mano Performance is a combination of two successful series and marries refined craftsmanship (for the stem and the base) and the precision of a machine (for the bowl). RIEDEL Fatto A Mano Performance consists of four parts and is produced in the factory in Kufstein. The glasses in this series are made of crystal glass and are dishwasher-safe.
The perfect ‘must have’ glasses for all cocktails and mixed drinks. With four different designs, inspired by the glamorous Art Nouveau period, these elegant, decorated crystal tumblers present a contrast to RIEDEL’S purist, unadorned wine glasses. Spirits and cocktail connoisseurs will enjoy discovering the versatility of these stylish, yet subtly nostalgic, glasses for the enjoyment of Whisky, Gin and Tonic, Cocktails and mixed drinks alike.
With three generations of research, development and experience in creating wine-specific glassware, Georg Riedel & Maximilian J. Riedel have created RIEDEL Performance: the ultimate loudspeaker for fine wine. Lightweight, durable and dishwasher safe, RIEDEL Performance glasses are executed in sparkling fine crystal and feature long fine stems and large stable bases. RIEDEL Performance’s unique optic impact not only adds a pleasing visual aspect to the bowl, but also increases the inner surface area, allowing the wine to open up and to fully show every aroma and subtle nuance. The grape varietal-specific shapes in RIEDEL Performance, when combined with the optic impact, deliver ultimate wine enjoyment.
The finest glasses for both technical and hedonistic purposes are those made by RIEDEL. The effect of these glasses on fine wine is profound. I cannot emphasize enough what a difference they make.
Robert M. Parker Jr.
Wine Critic, The Wine Advocate
This collection is a stunning range of varietal-specific wine glasses with colorful handmade stems using traditional Venetian techniques. With its hand-made stem and base, "Fatto a Mano" combines the crafts of the past with today’s technologically-advanced, machine blown techniques. The finished product charms the eye with its hand-crafted feel, colorful aesthetics and varietal specific bowls.
Timeless and elegant RIEDEL Veritas is fine blown and light weight. Executed in sparking crystal this classic glass collection is perfectly balanced in hand. RIEDEL Veritas is designed based on the iconic RIEDEL Grape Varietal Specific bowls which bring optimum wine enjoyment.
The special production technology developed for RIEDEL Veritas underlines RIEDEL’s hallmark leadership in performance-driven crystal drinkware for consumers and professionals.
To celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Sommeliers glass series, RIEDEL presents an exclusive collector‘s editions: Pleasure and design objects that emphasize the unique design language of the wine-friendly Sommeliers.
Black Series Collector‘s Edition is handmade in crystal glass.
RIEDEL Bar (2008)
for spirits served neat
RIEDEL Bar is composed of stylish and functional glasses designed to enhance the enjoyment of spirits. The series showcases the aromatics and flavor characteristics while minimizing the bite of alcohol. RIEDEL adopts the same approach in developing spirits glasses as they do to refine their wine glass shapes. Tasters determine which forms show the most popular spirits and fortified wines to their greatest advantage on the nose and palate, without losing the carefully crafted nuances of distillation to the dominance of alcohol.
This range was launched in 2008 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the iconic Sommeliers Burgundy Grand Cru glass. The red wine glasses are distinguished by a tall black stem and the white wine glasses feature a black base, making this one of our most exciting collections.
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O Wine Tumbler is the first varietal-specific wine tumbler in history. O is an innovative take on the casual wine glass, giving total wine enjoyment. O is based on the benchmark shapes of Vinum to enhance the world’s most important grape varietals. The tumbler, used for centuries as an all-round drinking vessel, is now turned into a sophisticated wine accessory. Broken stems are a thing of the past.
Vinum was the first machine-made glass collection in history to be based on the characteristics of grape varietals. Grape varietals carry in their DNA unmistakable flavor profiles, which add to the importance of selecting the appropriate glass.
Vinum was developed by Georg J. Riedel, not on a drawing board but through sensory workshops - a concept where the performance and the content command the shape - and which was developed by the RIEDEL family.
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The introduction of the Sommeliers series in 1973 achieved worldwide recognition. A glass was born that turns a sip into a celebration – a wine’s best friend – fine-tuned to match the grape! We invite you to share this fascinating and unique experience. You don't need to be a wine writer, a wine maker, or an expert to taste the difference that a RIEDEL glass can make.
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