Hi, I am quite new to pinot noir/nebbiolo and looking to buy my first handblown burgundy glass. I do own Josephine no.3, GGG and some machine blown Riedel.
So my options are Zalto Denk’Art Burgundy and the Grassl Cru.
I really dig the Zalto as it was the thinnest although it weighs more than the cru ( I assume zalto is around 120g and grassl cru is 100g). I am also worrying about fragility the Zalto, is it that really easy to break compared to the thicker Grassl Cru?
I have also read that some people prefer the Zalto Bordeaux glass over the Zalto Burgundy glass. Do anyone have the experice of both (or three including Grassl cru) please chime in.
Both Zalto and Grassl are around the same price in my country ($70) so Im leaning abit towards the Zalto.
thanks!
Based on my personal experience, Zalto is indeed more fragile and so easy to break. Grassl is ‘tougher’ but I feel like they have more resilient components in the materials so that they endure better but visual-wise and the feeling of holding them in hand, Zalto is much better, IMHO.
For me, 1 Grassl will outlive 2 Zalto in term of lifespan.
PS: I also love glasses from Josephinen, Orreforts and Sydonios.
I haven’t used the Zalto so can’t help with comparisons. But I like the Grassl Cru so much that I reach for it about 80% of the time and haven’t had issues with breakage. It really is more sturdy than it appears.
Yes I’ve used all 3 extensively. I drink from a Grassl Cru nearly every night. Zalto Burgundy is unnecessarily large, but a fine glass if you want that huge bowl. Zalto BDX is a great Burg glass that I would be happy with any time.
Grassl Cru has been my choice at home simply because I bought them cheap when he first launched and Zaltos were a lot more expensive. I think they are still more expensive, but the delta is quite a bit closer than when you could get Grassl Cru for $20 on Berserker Day.
If you can get a good price on a few Zaltos I might go that direction these days. My only gripe with the Grassls is that they develop this etching from years of daily use with red wine that is impossible to clean because it’s not a film, the glass is actually damaged. Even lye doesn’t remove it. It hasn’t happened on my white wine glasses, although those are used significantly less often. I keep using them myself and don’t really mind, but I have had to buy some new ones every few years if I want nice stems for company. But Chris stands behind his product and is really good about replacing stems that break, so you really can’t beat the customer service.
While I like the bowl of the Grassl Cru, I find the opening annoyingly small. I feel I can’t properly position my nose. And the base is so wide that I have to cock my wrist awkwardly to the side to swirl. I still like them better than Zalto Burgundy stems. I am a huge fan of Sensory glasses. The Zalto Bdx are good as well. And I honestly use my old Riedel vinum glasses pretty often.
Thanks, but I use a strong lye solution and let it sit for days and then rinse with citric acid. The stems are 100% clean. The issue is definitely etching of the glass, not staining.
I’m surprised by this. I boxed up all my remaining Reidel Vinums (and Speiglau look alikes) and put them in the basement knowing that one of my kids will enjoy them in their first apartment sooner rather than later.
I use the Glasvin Universals almost exclusively. When I hold a Reidel Vinum it feels like a Mack Truck compared to the Glasvin sportscar.
I use my Zalto glasses pretty sparingly, but they are amazing when I do. Absolutely LOVE them. I also love my Zalto Gravitas Omega for tasting. It’s rly life changing, not to be overly dramatic. For everyday use however, I tend to just use my Riedel glasses.
Doesn’t bother me. I don’t fetishize the feather light stems. So long as the bowl is a good size and shape, I am fine with the heavier ones for easy use, carrying and cleaning.
I can’t stand the Glasvin stems, though. They are all so unattractive to me. I bought some and returned them all.
Sarah, there are two iterations of the Grassl cru; the first one that came out had a smaller opening, and they increased it on the second version, so if you had the original you may like the newer one more.
I had a few Zalto Universals that I loved. Over the course of time they broke. During the pandemic it was impossible to replace them so I went with the GV’s as they were available and much cheaper. While I still prefer the Zalto shape, I’m used to and comfortable with the more classic shape of the GV’s.
As far as the weight…I get what you’re saying and it’s all good. I broke out the Vinums the other day cuz my kids wanted Aperol Spritz’s and I wasn’t willing to fill the GV’s with ice to serve them. The vinums felt more solid and did the trick.
I guess my surprise is because I think of you as someone who appreciates the nuances of the finer things in life…for example, ingredients. But for sure there’s the practical side of thing and the idea of using the right tool for the job.
Thank you - and I do, I like to think. Mind you - I have a dozen or more each of Zalto Universal and Bdx, GGGs, Lehmann Jamesse Prestige, Conterno Sensory, and a few random others. All of them get used regularly. But often it’s easy and convenient and not unpleasant to use the old “clunkers.” My hand fits inside them all, making them super easy to wash. I also occasionally get a slice of unfancy pizza.
