Zalto wine glasses

[Concordia]

Anyone tried the Zalto line of glasses? I found them online after having reminded myself, this holiday season, that some of my favorite Champagne glasses are the ones that Krug used to include from time to time with gift versions of their main product. Since we got those some years ago, Riedel then went on to make a bunch more, which are still sort of available in weird corners of the internet. The closest current issues I was able to find that were similar are Riedel Veritas Champagne and the Zalto Champagne (or, some would prefer, white wine). The bubbly and white products they sell look very plausible, as does the Universal. I'd have to try the reds before being convinced.

Anyway, we're not terribly hard up for adequate glasses, but I thought it worth reviewing the territory in case something fabulous jumps out at us. For everyday use, Williams-Sonoma Bordeaux (and now-discontinued Burgundy) are just fine, along with Riedel Vinum Burgundy and Vintage Champagne. But that Krug glass really does magic, and so we may be trying to find a set of something comparable. And we might end up doing some consolidating if I can find a couple of better-made options for red/white Bordeaux, Burgundy, Rhone, and Italians. I suspect that Baccarat and Lobmeyr may not be the best options for drinking pleasure, even if they are gorgeous. But a step in that direction wouldn't be a bad thing.

 

[LeatherBoot]

Yes I love them! I saw them first here in San Francisco at Saison and then saw them at several other Michelin star restaurants in Europe.

Zaltos are all handblown and are of the same quality as the Riedel Sommelier line but they are much less expensive (though still not cheap). The Zaltos in my opinion are made a bit better in that the bowl and stem are one piece with the base being separate. In a Riedel the base and the stem are one piece and the bowl is a separate piece which makes them easier to break...though the thinner Zalto stem may make the difference in durability between the two a wash.

What attracted me to the Zaltos was their delicate, thin stems which made Riedel glasses look chunky by comparison.

The only Baccarat wine glasses I have used were really heavy and of an unattractive classical style....so I cannot speak to the more modern plain ones.

 

[Concordia]

Have you tried the red wine models? How useful/versatile is the Universal?

 

[LeatherBoot]

The universal is something I have used at restaurants but never with red wine. I like the Bordeaux glasses and the burgandy glasses. They are big but not as big as the equivalent Riedel Somms.

The universal might be good for some red varietals but I don't know which ones and thus I don't have a compelling reason to buy them. I think the universal works well for whites but I would rather have the Zalto white wine glass.

You can get by just fine with two types of wine glasses but a single glass for reds and whites isn't going to be great with one or both.

 

[Concordia]

Well, we shall see. I just ordered a Universal, a white, and a Champagne to do some field research. From all appearances, the Universal might work well with Beaujolais or Chianti. Hell, it wasn't so long ago that something like that was considered pretty large for Bordeaux.

I remain suspicious of the dinner-plate/Astrodome design of the big red glasses, but if the smaller ones don't kill me then it will be a logical prejudice to test.

 

[pscolari]



Well, we shall see. I just ordered a Universal, a white, and a Champagne to do some field research. From all appearances, the Universal might work well with Beaujolais or Chianti. Hell, it wasn't so long ago that something like that was considered pretty large for Bordeaux.

I remain suspicious of the dinner-plate/Astrodome design of the big red glasses, but if the smaller ones don't kill me then it will be a logical prejudice to test.

I have been kicking around the idea of adding a handful of Zaltos over the past few months after drinking out of various sizes over the past year. The reason I have not bought is my wife and I are still sitting on a large amount of Reidel Vinum stems from our wedding registry. If I didn't have the Reidels I would opt for the Universal as it is great for the majority of wine we drink, including reds and sparkling. I reached out to my one of my friends who has an amazing cellar and drinks across many varietals, but primarily mature pinot from Burgundy. Surprisingly, she suggested going with the Bordeaux for the reds instead of the Burgundy as a starting point. The latter is beautiful, but absolutely huge and was her only complaint. She also has their Axium decanter which is very functional, beautiful, easy to handle, and clean.

When Zalto were first introduced you could find some flexibility on pricing if you looked hard enough or had a good connection. Over the last year it seems as though pricing is being standardized across retailers with little discount. If you are not in a rush, Wine Enthusiast website will occasionally offer a deal where you make a minimum purchase of $99 within their window you would then get a credit of $50 to use the next month. They did this last in early December, so it comes a few times a year. So you could've bought 2 Zaltos from them to hit the minimum and then essentially get a glass free with the credit on the next order.

 

[gomestar]

i have no need for Zaltos.










and I'm showing how much I don't need them by adding them to my birthday list.

 

[LeatherBoot]

Well, we shall see. I just ordered a Universal, a white, and a Champagne to do some field research. From all appearances, the Universal might work well with Beaujolais or Chianti. Hell, it wasn't so long ago that something like that was considered pretty large for Bordeaux.

I remain suspicious of the dinner-plate/Astrodome design of the big red glasses, but if the smaller ones don't kill me then it will be a logical prejudice to test.

You are right, wine glasses didn't used to be so big. I am contemplating buying the tall glassware basket for my Miele dishwasher as my glasses (especially the Riedel Vinum and Zalto Bordeaux glasses) are so tall.

 

[Trompe le Monde]

consider zwiesel. theyve got a longer history than zalto. the 1872 branded collections are terrific. super light, thin, and durable

 

[Concordia]



consider zwiesel. theyve got a longer history than zalto. the 1872 branded collections are terrific. super light, thin, and durable

That line also has the titanium in it, correct?

 

[Trompe le Monde]



That line also has the titanium in it, correct?

yes atleast the enoteca line does

 

[Concordia]

So I tried the white wine and the Universal on some white Burgundies--- against a conventional, non-anal-wine-drinker medium-sized Burgundy balloon from Tiffany. I found that the balloon let the fruit sing much more, while the Zaltos both emphasized the acid and structure. Right now, with the state of my sinuses, I prefer fruit. I can see going the other way, especially with New World or Parkerized infants.

The workmanship on the glasses is very good indeed. Stem length and overall height were a tad more than I'd come to expect from pictures and specs. The Universal is what used to be a pretty big Bordeaux size-- I may try some in that to compare with another glass over the lamb this evening.

 

[Piobaire]



That line also has the titanium in it, correct?

I've been using the Tritan line for about two years now. Lives up to its hype in terms of keeping shine and being durable. Also, at $8 a stem, IDGAF if someone breaks one.

But I'm cheap like that.

 

[Concordia]

A useful trait. My "dishwasher-safe" Universal trial sample broke in its second run-through.

 

[Piobaire]

Ugh, that sucks. I can tell you that two years of use not one break and they look brand new. No haze, scratches, etc.