Behind most wine tastings is an importer or a winemaker who wants to sell their bottles. The Riedel Wine Glass Experience works differently: here, the glass itself takes center stage, not the wine inside it. The question that Maximilian J. Riedel answers during the 90-minute session is one that few people ever seriously ask themselves: how exactly does the shape of a glass affect what you smell and taste?
Maximilian J. Riedel is the eleventh generation of a family of glassblowers that began in Bohemia in 1756. At the age of twenty-five, he became CEO of RIEDEL Crystal of America, and in 2004 he personally designed the RIEDEL ‘O’ Series—the stemless glasses that are now found in kitchens and wine bars around the world. He is not just a figurehead reciting a story: he is the man who has shaped this brand over the past decades, and on September 17, he will be speaking to the group in person at the Zuiderkerk.
The Zuiderkerk is a Protestant church dating from 1611, designed by Hendrick de Keyser, and located in the Nieuwmarkt neighborhood. As an event venue, it has a unique character: high vaults, stone, and light streaming in from above. It’s not your typical small room with a projection screen. For a session focused on sensory perception, that’s not a bad choice.
More than 265 years of expertise in glass, all brought together in a church dating from 1611. That’s a combination you don’t come across very often.
The session is suitable for wine enthusiasts who simply want to understand more, as well as for professionals who work with wine on a daily basis. What makes it appealing is the format: no passively listening to a lecture, but tasting and comparing for yourself while Maximilian J. Riedel explains exactly what’s happening. More than 265 years of expertise in glass, brought together in a church dating back to 1611. That’s a combination you don’t come across very often.
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