Even if the bowl shape is the same does the height of the cut change the fragrance and flavor?


Of the 25 different types of glasses in the Vinum series there are some that are of varying height that have the same bowl shape.
Is there really a difference in flavor and fragrance if only the height is changed?
A wine adviser, "Mr. I" during rigorous special training aimed to challenge this problem.

The tasting consisted of drinking the same wine out of the same bowl shape to compare three different heights (from base of bowl to rim) of glasses searching for any differences of flavor or fragrance that might be revealed.

416/30:Syrah/Shiraz glass (height 236mm)
Made for use with the red wine, Syrah, cultivated in Australia and Northern France (called Shiraz in Australia)

416/90:Brunello di Montalcino glass (height 218mm)
This glass is for use with fine wines from the Italian state of Tuscana made from the Sangiovesse grape (the source of this wine is the town of Montalcino, a suburb of Florence, and this grape is called Brunello. Just one type of Sangiovesse.)

416/0:Bordeaux glass (height 225mm)
Made for use with red wine including Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.
Wine name:CABERNET SAUVIGNON VIN DE PAYS D'OC 1998 SELECTION THIERRY DERE-FREDERIC DE LUZE \1000@ENOTECA

416/30:
It gives dark colored berries a sense of a strong fruity fragrance. The whole bouquet is condensed. The flow from the rim is strong, and the wine is transmitted to the tongue and then delivered in towards the back of the mouth.
416/90:
The fruity fragrance in 30 is somewhat canceled out.The flow (into the mouth) is weak. And the level acidity is enhanced.
When I blindly tested the aromas of 30 and 90 (so as not to know which was which), there was a definite destinction between the two, but when trying these with 0, for example comparing 30 and 0, there no distinct difference at all.
416/0:
As far as the sense of aroma, this glass lies directly between 30 and 90.
Wine name:CHATEAU SOUDARS 1996 HAUT MEDOC CRU BOURGEOIS \2000@KINOKUNIYA
It is past pink; from a dark ruby to a purplish red color. The "legs" of the wine run slowly and steadily down the inner part of the glass. Strong fragrance. Does that slightly strong sweetness hint of apricot...and leather? Is this a rather ripe aroma? The fruity aroma of jet-black berries is also strong. There are also slight hints of coffee and toasty fragrances. The acidity is from average to rather strong. There seems to be an ample amount of fruitiness, that appears to be from the sweetness of dark fruit, and the aromas reek of youthfulness. It is fine and detailed, intermixed with tannins. The long reverbarations are quite pleasant. Extremely delicious.

416/30:
The fragrance became rich. To say it was bad would be pushing it, there was a feeling of flat, eveness. To put it well the fragrance is thick and deep. But the lack of oxygen in the glass is not fitting of the wine. When drinking, it is delivered in glugs to the back of the mouth. There is not much of a sense of acidity, but other bitternesses are enhanced. There is not much fruitiness. Since the wine first hits the top of the mouth, there is a heightened metallic flavor.
416/90:
The aroma is thin and it has a light feeling. The acidic aroma stood out meaning that the acidic flavor was strong. When entering the mouth it didn't go to the back, but instead fell on the tip of the tongue (the part most sensitive to acidity). Due to this the acid remains from the beginning to the end and gives the impression of being highly acidic. And the tannins are exaggerated.
416/0:
The aroma is soft, and the fruitiness is enhanced, giving it a truly sweet aroma. It also has a feeling of caramel and spice. The fragrance has an all over bright image. When flowing into the mouth it goes to the middle of the tongue and rolls to both sides wholly spreading the sensation. The acid does not remain and is not really pronounced, very straightforward...superb.
For this wine it could be sensed that 416/0 was clearly superior.
Riedel's clearly intended manufacturing practices are a big developement, the difference in the way the wine flows into the mouth (up to now it has been quite distinct), especially the change in the acidic flavor because the first place that the wine touches changes its overall impression.
Wine name:SYRAH VIN DE PAYS D'OC 2000 MARQUIS DE BOLLAND \600@CAVE DE RELAX
A very deep maroon. Spice, especially black pepper aromas. The sweet aroma of purple fruit is strong, as well as grape juice concentrate, and an aroma of diluted dark colored berries.

416/30:
Bothersome. The fruity color is dark, the density is high.
416/90:
The aroma is calm contrary to the ingredients, due to the high ratio of air you can sense a thinning aroma.
416/0:
The aroma is wholly sharp and clear. Vivid fruit colors.
There is a clear distiction between 30 and the other two glasses.
Wine name: MERLOT (Merlot) 1999 KWV (SOUTH AFRICA) \800@SUGANO
There is a strong broken down, condensed aroma. Blackberry, spices (black pepper & nutmeg). When trying to drink it, the stimulation is softer than I expected. The acid too is soft. The fruit flavor is condensed. Due to the alcohol it is quite loud. The serving temperature was slightly high 23-24 degrees celcius. The tannins were low.

416/30:
Fruit aromas, the spicy bouquet is condensed. There is almost a suffocatingly thick aroma. Sweet, fascinatingly the sweetness is fruity a sort of jam-like fruitiness. But since it directly hits the roof of the mouth, the acidity and especially the sweetness is supressed. There is some juiciness but it is rather mild.
416/90:
The spicy aroma is accentuated, but the fruitiness is slightly tannic. Some delicacies of the aroma reach the back of the mouth, but it takes some ability to be able to sense some of those subtleties. There is a noticeable earthy smell juxtaposed to a sweet, fruity fragrance giving the impression of a red wine for someone from the Italian Toscana region. Up to the 3rd wine I was a little worried and wondered if this glass was okay, but when it came to this one, it can be seen that it is possible to drink this with all the delicacy of a wine like Brunello.
416/0:
Sweet fragrance, and a strong sense of fruit. Blocked by the sweetness is an acidity that gradually sneaks into the foreground, but the reveberations are cancelled out. The impression of the fragrance at first is thin, but a caramel and moderately sweet aroma gradually appears.
Moving from 30 to either 0, or 90 there is a clear distinction.
To sum things up.
The way I see it when talking about the clarity and lightness of the aroma, the order from the top on down is 416/90C416/0C416/30 (the latter being appropriate for the darker, heavier wines). 416/30 is for wines the have a high level of condensed flavors, and 416/0 is a good balance for wines that may lie somewhere in between.
As far as taste there is a large variation in the sense of acidity. As for 416/90 a fairly distinct acidity is prominent.
The charcteristics of 416/90 is a clear (fruity) aroma that is extremely open. For aromas that have been diffused or are not very strong that might have a feeling of no fragrance at all (Brunello is a good example of this) you should by all means try out this glass. This glass has ability to bring out a wine's acidic flavor.
As for 416/30 fruit and various other aromas are strenghtened and condensed. The flavors are surprising, but the sweetness is supressed giving wines a wholly rounded mildness. Because this too is declared for use with Syrah, I would like to try this with a slightly higher quality, true Syrah. Especially since this time the wine used was not truly fitting of this glass, because it could not sufficiently exhibit its potential, by all means I would like to retry this with a wine that has more of the characteristic Syrah qualities.
The extremely grand 416/0 glass as well I would like to reappreciate (I don't know if the result was also biased to the Bordeaux type wine that was used this time). It balances wine very well, and obstructed behind the enhanced image of fruity sweetness one can perceive wonderful hints of bitterness. Tannins too have a rounded feeling compared to 416/90.


Some remarks about this glass tasting.
The number of wines sampled as well as the number of tasters could be increased.
Also it could be said that it was bad that wine was used that didn't clearly bring out the characteristics of these types of glasses.
Especially regarding 416/30 because this trial did not grasps its latent ablilities, by all means please try this again with a different wine.
Then why do various glasses have these functions and why do wines fit with the functions of these glasses? I would like to know a little more about this (such as how 416/90 that intends to diffuse the fragrance and enhances the acidity which brings out qualities of Brunello, but to know that one must first understand the wine).