Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/138003
Domaine Chandon uses fine stemware to enhance its upscale tastings. Tools of the BY DEBORAH PARKER WONG Trade Upscale glassware can upgrade the customer experience onsumer acceptance of wine packaging other than glass is growing, but fine glassware remains the undisputed tool of choice for presenting, evaluating and fully appreciating wine. While both crystal and glass stemware share space on winery tasting bars, the move by wineries to + Fine glassware can show wines to their upscale glassware best advantage, and provide a better visitor frequently coincides experience. with the addition of + Customer satisfaction can validate the luxury tasting expeincreased cost of upscale glassware. riences designed to showcase top-tier + California's most-visited wineries are trading wines. up to crystal stemware for their tasting rooms. "We're seeing + Wineries are making upscale glassware a wineries choosing part of their luxury tasting experiences, for the best," said Sylvie which they charge higher fees. Laly, director of U.S. winery sales for Riedel, Spiegelau and AT A GLANCE 88 V I N E YARD & WINERY MANAGEMENT | July - Aug 2013 Nachtmann. "When a winery using our non-varietal-specific Riedel glass trades up to the varietal-specific series, tasting room managers can see that their consumers' experience is being significantly enhanced, and that translates directly to increased sales for the winery." For Riedel customers, that choice means a baseline increase in cost by about 30%. From the entrylevel Degustazione series, nonvarietal-specific glasses designed for basic wine styles, a 19.75 ounce red wine glass runs $2.99 per stem whereas a varietal-specific 21.5 ounce cabernet/merlot glass from Riedel's Restaurant series runs $5.95 per stem. With quantity discou n ts i n place, Riedel crystal stemware can be had for as little as $2.75 a stem. Wholesale prices for standard wine glasses, the majority of w w w. v w m m e d i a . c o m