Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/138003
Many tasting rooms use Riedel's Ouverture Magnum glass, which works with many different varietal wines. which are sourced from Toledo, Ohiobased glassware manufacturer Libbey, run from $2.50 to $3.50 per stem. Although the correlation between using higher-quality stemware and increased tasting room sales is largely anecdotal, customer satisfaction alone has quelled wariness on the part of purchasing managers and tasting room staff about the increase in cost over standard glass stemware. TRADING UP According to a source in the purchasing department at Rob- ert Mondavi Winery, last year the company upgraded its entire glassware program to Riedel, including moving its logo tasting glass to Riedel's lead-free, non-varietal-specific Ouverture Restaurant series tasting glass. (According to Laly, Ouverture is among Riedel's best-selling series worldwide.) The winery's high-traffic tasting room in Napa Valley offers visitors the opportunity, at a reduced price, to purchase the glasses used during their tasting, which has helped cut down on theft. For private and reserve tastings, Mondavi uses a range of varietal- specific glasses and steps up to the Vinum series, which it uses for hospitality programs and offers for sale at retail in the tasting room. However, Mondavi stopped short of using Riedel lead crystal stemware for prestige tastings, as doing so requires guests to sign a waiver acknowledging the risk of exposure to lead. The winery does post the required California Proposition 65 warning and sells lead crystal glasses and decanters in the tasting room. BENCHMARK TASTING EXPERIENCES With an annual visitor count of more than 250,000, Domaine Chandon is one of Napa Valley's top three most-visited wineries. In April 2012, the winery added a $40 Prestige Tour & Tasting and purchased Riedel flutes at $5.95 a stem to better showcase its étoile tete de cuvee wines. the fine art of closures mala-usa.com (415) 302-3123 G@mala-usa.com w w w. v w m media.com J u l y - A u g 2 0 13 | V I N E YA R D & W I N E RY M A N A G E M E N T 89