Georg J Riedel’s personal and professional philosophies are one and the same. "I am a person who lives in the here and now, rather than looking back," says the head of Riedel Glas Austria. "Our commitment to quality requires constant innovation; therefore we regularly invest in the modernization of our production facilities, creating a significant number of new jobs in various markets,” Riedel explains.
Based on a long-standing ethos of forward thinking, the company is guided in this philosophy by the tenth and eleventh generations of the Riedel family, Georg Riedel and his son Maximilian Riedel, who will one day be his successor. Working closely with his father, and subsequently with a team of experts, winemakers and employees, Georg Riedel pioneered the development of wine-friendly and varietal-specific glass collections. Through various innovations in production technology, Riedel succeeded in expanding the range of the hallmark handmade Riedel Sommeliers glasses. Following his appointment to Chief Executive, he led the company to achieve great success, using his operational expertise and economic prowess.
In 1986, he introduced the benchmark Vinum crystal glassware series, the first machine-made varietal-specific fine crystal glasses in the world. The Vinum series, with its affordable price point helped the company reach a new audience. This laid the foundation for the brand’s worldwide success and international following. Of his contribution to the company’s growth, Riedel says "We, the Riedels, are equipped with luck, but we also rely on intelligence, diligence and passion." Georg Riedel has advocated his completely new approach to wine glasses on a global scale; function first, followed by beauty, executed with unparalleled perfection. He explains, "We have developed tastings around the world; we educate approximately 40,000 people each year using wines from every region, where we demonstrate how the right glass enhances the experience of wine drinking.”
His decades of experience in wine tasting and keen understanding of design have taught him how best to bring out the expression of a wine’s various flavor components for maximum enjoyment. In his philosophy and quest, Riedel's love and passion for wine have made him an expert in the subject, respected by top winemakers and sommeliers around the world. For more than 35 years, Georg Riedel has travelled the world to share his message, developing new markets and ensuring the company’s solid economic foundation.
What drives him? "The Riedels had lost everything after World War II and needed once again to rebuild from the ground up. My ancestors set their minds to it, with luck on their side, looking to the future and acting accordingly,” he explains. “From this, I derive my sense of duty. I'm not afraid of anything, except failure. I must not be last in the history of the company, and even more importantly, I do not want to lose the company's reputation. My inner critic will never allow me to be satisfied – it is always pushing me further.”
The plans for the next few years? "It's a dream of mine to develop drinking vessels for non-alcoholic beverages which also create memorable experiences for consumers. I envisage vessels for high quality coffee, complex teas and even spring water. The sensuality of taste shows that designs of Riedel-caliber can be made for these beverages.” The Riedel family’s prominence in Central European history – the Bohemian line dates to 1673 - also shapes Riedel's personality and commitment to continuity and perseverance. "At age 30 I began to run. I have completed ten marathons and now regularly undertake mountain hiking expeditions,” he explains. “They form a fundamental enrichment of my life. There I find the necessary calm to relax and think things through."
Riedel has been married to his wife, Eva, since 1973 when they met during his time as a student in Vienna. He is a dedicated father to his son Maximilian and daughter Laetizia, and grandfather to five grandchildren. In them, the twelfth generation, he proudly sees the future of the glassware dynasty. Georg Riedel was born in 1949 in Innsbruck, Austria. Fittingly, it was a wonderful vintage year for Bordeaux.
TIMELINE
1973 · Joins the company, establishing a financial control system
1986 · Introduces Vinum collection, which becomes Riedel’s best-selling series
1979 - 2011 · Creation of the subsidiary companies in the USA, Canada, Germany, Japan, Great Britain, Australia and China
1996 · Decanter magazine nominates Georg Riedel Decanter Man of the Year
2004 · Acquires the German glass company Nachtmann, together with the Spiegelau wine accessories brand, merging under the name "Riedel Glass Works"
2006 · Award of Honour for Services to the Republic of Austria
2007 · Award of Honour by the State of Tyrol
2009 · Wirtschaftsblatt, the Vienna daily business newspaper, nominates him Entrepreneur of the Year
