In Piedmont, the competition between the big wine brands also involves designer glasses

A great wine cannot do without a tailor-made glass, which highlights its peculiar characteristics, from its appearance to its aroma and taste: and, while trends are constantly revolutionizing themselves, as of today the sensory chalice, aesthetically pleasant and lightweight, as well as performing from a technical point of view, is joining the “varietal” glass (dedicated to a specific wine or grape variety); there is no doubt that, in a tasting experience, the impact of the right glass is continuously increasing. A stylistic choice that seems to please the most prestigious brands in Piedmont, where competition passes not only through cult labels such as Barolo & Barbaresco, but also through partnerships with internationally renowned glassworks. The latest winery, in chronological order, to have signed an exclusive distribution agreement is Fontanafredda, a historic signature from the Langhe - now led by Andrea Farinetti - which will bring Eisch Germany, a historic glass blower from Upper Bavaria, to Italy. But, even before that, the commercial agreements of Gaja “le roi” from the Langhe, which for many years has distributed Riedel, world leader in the production of glasses, and of the Barolo Ceretto brand, which boasts a partnership with the Austrian glassworks Sophienwald, were born. Roberto Conterno, mister Monfortino, with his prestigious winery in Monforte d’Alba, has in the past made use of the expertise of the Zwiesel company, instead, founded in 1872, to create his Sensory glass, a unique and customized glass. But the liaisons between big wine brands and glass companies extend to other territories and denominations of the Belpaese, too: Consorzio del Brunello di Montalcino, in the past, had relied on Vilca and Rcr, historic glassmakers from Colle Val d’Elsa, for the creation of an ad hoc glass, a challenge that Italesse, one of the most important companies in the Italian panorama and beyond, has more recently taken up, which, with its Senses project, has given life to specific glasses for Brunello di Montalcino and for Vermentino di Gallura and di Sardegna, up to the T-made 75 for Barolo. Soon a glass specifically designed to enhance orange wines, a rapidly growing trend among consumers, will hit the market, created in collaboration with Apro, the Ribolla di Oslavia Producers Association.
Fontanafredda - founded in 1858 by the then King of Italy Vittorio Emanuele II and purchased in 2008 by “Mr. Eataly” Oscar Farinetti and other partners - from Langhe, and Eisch Germany, a German glass giant, are united by an approach based on sustainability: the historic Piedmontese estate, through the “Rinascimento Verde” program, has embraced a 360-degree environmental vision, from the vineyard to the bottle, while Eisch Germany produces its glasses by minimizing material waste through the meticulous workmanship of its pieces, making them more resistant, long-lasting and sustainable. The Ceretto Terroirs import company, founded in 2003 by the Ceretto family, one of the leading dynasties of Piedmont wine, with 160 hectares of vineyards between Langhe and Roero, in addition to distributing great wines and spirits from Europe and the world, includes in its portfolio the Sophienwald glasses, made of the highest quality glass and made entirely by hand. But the true pioneer of joint ventures between wineries and glass companies was Angelo Gaja, who met Georg Riedel and his father Claus back in 1973. Since 1987, Gaja Distribuzione has been the exclusive importer for Italy of Riedel products, with headquarters in Kufstein, Austria, considered a world-class excellence.
The temptation to have a personalized glass has also struck various producers over time: such as Mister Monfortino, Roberto Conterno, with his Giacomo Conterno, who, in collaboration with the Zwiesel company, created, in 2017, the Sensory tasting glass, a glass suitable for wines of great expressiveness and with a shape capable of involving all the senses. An exclusive choice made in the past also by Gianfranco Soldera, founder of one of the most prestigious brands in Montalcino, who had designed the Soldera glass, with a cup of an ideal shape and size to enhance the aromas of the wine, made with the 100% Sangiovese grape.
Among the most important glass brands in our country - a niche of excellence in which craftsmanship becomes art (which includes, among others, companies such as Zalto, Bormioli Rocco and Bormioli Luigi) - there is certainly Italesse, which, with its Senses project, has introduced the concept of the sensorial glass, based on organoleptic sensations: by deconstructing individual wines into aromas (for example blackcurrant, raspberry, black pepper ...) and making changes and micro-changes to the structure of the glasses, the tasting experience has been improved, also thanks to continuous research in the laboratory and the evolution of production techniques. Another niche in which the company has invested is the series of glasses specifically dedicated to individual denominations, such as the T-made 70 for Brunello di Montalcino, the T-made 55 for Vermentino di Gallura and Sardinia and the T-made 75 for Barolo. Instead, the new professional glass will be released in the fall, specifically dedicated to orange wines, very trendy wines (produced with white grapes vinified in red): designed in collaboration with Apro, the Association of Ribolla Producers of Oslavia, it will highlight their color and aromas. But, soon, a glass will also arrive that is perfect for another of the great and most important Italian reds, Amarone della Valpolicella.
And if it is true that the future of great wines increasingly passes through culture, consumer education, the storytelling of the countless territories of our country, an important role will also be played by high craftsmanship in the production of increasingly high-performance and refined glasses. But there is no shortage of creative ideas, such as the portable glass, launched by the company Copain de Vin (https://copaindevin.com/), in collaboration with the sommelier Alessandro Matrone. Forget plastic or other disposable materials: this is made of glass, to guarantee a professional tasting, and thanks to a patented protective case (metal on the outside and rubber on the inside) it has a guaranteed duration. For top toasts wherever you are.