The Cinque Journal / The Greek Wine Journey
FROM THE ARCHIVE · SEPTEMBER 2018
Riedel Masterclass at Cinque Wine & Deli Athens
A tasting devoted to the way a glass can shape our perception of wine.
Published 2018-09-24 · Cinque — The Greek Wine Journey
IN THIS ARTICLE
In 2018, Cinque Wine & Deli Athens hosted a Riedel Masterclass focused on an often overlooked part of tasting: the glass. The session gave guests a chance to compare wines in different glass shapes and discuss what changed in the aromas, texture and finish they perceived.
A tasting through different glasses
Guests tasted two white and two red wines from the international vineyard. By moving between Riedel glasses, they could compare the same wine in different vessels, then talk about the changes they noticed. The tasting offered a practical way to consider how shape can influence the presentation of aromas and the feel of a wine on the palate.
It was an exercise in attention: the wine remained the same, while the tasting context changed. That made the discussion as valuable as the comparison itself.
The people behind the masterclass
Guilherme Mantovani, then Riedel Group Manager for Europe, guided the masterclass. George Loukas and Angelos Antoniou, Riedel ambassadors, led the comparative tasting. Deals SA supported the event.
Their explanations helped guests connect what they sensed in the glass with the decisions behind glassware design. Questions and observations from the table made the session a conversation rather than a lecture.
What we took from the experience
At Cinque, serving wine has always involved choices beyond the bottle: temperature, pace, pairing and the vessel used to present it. The masterclass gave us an opportunity to look closely at one of those choices with our guests.
The lesson was to taste with curiosity. A glass can change how a wine is experienced, but the most useful result is the conversation it begins: what do we notice, and why?
The continuing conversation
This 2018 gathering remains part of Cinque’s history of sharing wine knowledge around a table. As we plan new presentations, it reminds us that a memorable wine event gives people room to compare, ask and discover together.