Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/65124
GLASSWARE nity, Maximilian envisioned a stronger market in restaurant glassware and leapt on the opportunity to introduce a line of restaurant glassware that not only provided a three-star wine experience to match a three-star culinary experience, but which was dishwasher-safe. The result, a line of more durable glassware characterized by a shorter stem, was appropriately named Riedel Restaurant. "When I fi rst came to America, I met and dined with the icons of the industry," Maximilian points out, further explain- ing how the glassware continued to achieve status within the best restaurants. "Unfortunately not all restaurants—even the biggest supporters of Riedel glassware—were able to afford the line. Durability and breakage were issues." As a matter of economy, and to reinforce Riedel's alle- giance with the on-premise buyers, Maximilian set about to reinvent his entire collection of glassware to make it more accessible, exclusively for the trade. And while Riedel enjoys relationships with the highest-profi le distributors in the country, the Riedel Restaurant collection is also available for purchase online (again, for trade only). Note the change in size from the late 1980s Riedel stemware to the 2010 Vinum XL glass. "The industry has changed in the past 20 years. We are now so much more grape varietal–specifi c." serpent-shaped Mamba, inspired by Maximilian's birth year, the Year of the Snake. Since becoming CEO, Maximilian has more than quadru- pled the company's sales in the United States and Canada— making them the company's largest export markets. With his fi nger on the pulse of the on-premise commu- "The distributor carries 25 SKUs of the Riedel Restaurant collection, while our web 'shop' shows the entire line," Maximilian adds. "Our idea is to assist the restaurateur, helping to sell wines with the best tools available: the glass and the decanter. These signifi cant and essential items are the 'loudspeaker' for the wine, delivering true varietal DNA character and the style of each wine. My grandfather created the concept and my father simplifi ed it. Now I am taking it to a higher level of accessibility. And the trend now: the bigger the glass, the better. There are new rules or no rules: Go ahead, decant a Pinot Noir or a white. We all live in a world of aroma and fl avor. Let's enjoy it the best way we can!" The Riedel Restaurant Collection stemware starts as low as $3 per glass, and decanters range from $20 to $1,000. For more details, members of the trade should go to www.RiedelOP.com. Our idea is to assist the restaurateur." Riedel decanters: The Twenty-Twelve, named for the Chinese Year of the Dragon, the Eve and the Mamba. Each decanter is free-blown by a master glass blower in Austria and is a unique and functional work of art. may 2012 / the tasting panel / 101