I am pondering updating some of my stemware, and would appreciate any advice.

A) WHAT I HAVE:

1. Champagne: A set of Mikasa champagne flutes, which are very heavy with cut glass sides, which I bought at a Mikasa outlet a long time ago. They look very nice, but they ain’t Riedel/Spiegelau quality. Great for a party, but I hate the idea of drinking great champagne from them.

2. Cabernet/Bordeaux: A set of Riedel Vinum Cabernet/Bordeaux stems

3. Port: A set of Riedel Vinum port stems

4. White wine: A set of really crappy generic chardonnay glasses

WEDDING CRYSTAL (See Dilemma # 2 below):

5. Water: A set of Waterford cut-glass water goblets

6. Wine: A set of Waterford cut-glass wine goblets (very generic chardonnay type glass)

7. Champagne: A set of Waterford cut-glass champagne flutes (similar to the Mikasa, but nicer)

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B) WHAT I WANT:

Decent (ie: clear crystal, thin rimmed) champagne flutes

Burgundy/pinot noir stemware

Decent white wine stemware (should I get chardonnay or a Riesling type stem? – I don’t drink much white; when I do it is probably sav blanc or Riesling; when guests come over they always want chardonnay)

Anything else???? (What else is a must-have?)

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C) MY DILEMMA(S):

1) In buying additional stemware, should I go with Riedel for all my additional stemware so as to match the cabernet and port glasses, or get Spiegelau (cheaper)? Would there be any noticeable difference if you were setting a table with Riedel cabernet glasses, Spiegelau chardonnay glasses, and Riedel champagne glasses? If I had to do it all over again, I would have just bought Spiegelau, but since I have 2 sets of Riedel Vinum stems already, should my other stems be Vinums as well?

2) Is there anything I can do about the Wedding crystal, besides a massive, tragic accident? We picked them out back before I knew much about wine, and they really are inappropriate for serving great wines. Yet, when we want to have an all-out dinner (ie: wedding china, silver, etc…) my wife insists on setting the table with them rather than the less expensive Riedel stems. I can’t set Waterford champagne and water glasses (which are elaborate cut-glass designs) and then put Riedel cabernet stems down, because it just looks strange. It also would seem like a waste to have all of this expensive crystal which I would never want to use.

I would choose the brand by which ones you like the looks of. I mix Spiegs with Riedels all the time.

I don't like these new big-bowl "Montrachet" Chardonnay glasses. Some of the regular Chardonnay glasses are too big also. I would get a medium size bowl (maybe like the zin stem IIRC) for an all-around white wine glass.

I hear you on the cut crystal. 35 years of marriage and she still wants to use the damn things; and she is pretty wine-savy too. It is only on very special occasions and usually the people at these dinners aren't part of the wine crowd.

Riedel makes a wonderful water glass too.

1. The Waterford will make lovely wedding gifts for someone else.

2. I don't think mixing Riedel Vinum / Spiegelau Vino Grande is a problem. In fact, for the Bordeaux stems, I find it difficult to tell them apart.

3. If you're concerned about appearances, I would stay away from Spiegelau Authentis. These might clash in style with the rest of your Vinums.

I'm sure others will chime in with better ideas than this. Good hunting!

I don't think mixing and matching producers/product lines is a big deal (I regularly do so - Vinum Bordeauxs go with Sommelier white and champagne and finish with Spieglau Port all the time (because the Grand Cru Bordeaux are just so big)). I would stick with Riedel and forget about Spieglau. Can't help you with the wedding crystal - that seems insurmontable except buying a whole new set of everything for a future anniversary.

My favorite glass is the Riedel Sommelier Syrah. If I only had one glass that would be the one I would choose.

I think you are stuck on the wedding crystal. When the light shines on the crystal is looks so "pretty". In every other aspect the wedding crystal is really subpar.

If you have a limited glassware budget here's was I would do. On the wine glasses I'd probably get the Spiegelau Vino Grande or Riedel Vinum Bordeaux glassware. Then I'd go with the Spiegelau Vino Grande Chardonnay glass and the Spiegelau Vino Grande Champagne stems. Keep your port stems.

If you budget is a bit less limited then I'd get the Riedel Somm. Bordeaux stems, the Somm. Vintage Champagne stem, and I think Riedel makes a Somm Chardonnay glass. If you drink lots of Riesling (spatlese and above) or Sauterne then the Riedel Somm. Sauterne glass is worth every cent you pay for it (this is my favorite glass along with the Vintage Champagne glass). If you drink lots of nice Red Burgundy then the Somm. Burgundy glasses should also be on the list though your wife will probably balk on these because they are so huge (but drinking wine out of them is oh so good when you have a Grand Cru Red Burg from a great year).

Or use your chard glasses for your champagne. I have been doing almost all of my champagne out of chard glasses after a side by side comparison with the Somm. Champagnes. You lose some bubble, but the nose is SO much better.

Rothko - I'm in the same boat as you. We have all this Mikasa stemware that we (she) selected before we were married. At that time I really didn't care about stemware. Now, I can't really buy what I would like to, primarily due to space reasons.

I think what I need to do is to put the Mikasa in storage, and replace them with new Riedel Vinums.

I just need to figure out how to sell it to the wife.

Ever since I started appreciating fine wine, the Waterford stems have been relegated to the curio cabinet, where they look beautiful 365 (or 366) days a year.

Same problem here as well Rothko.

Have you considered eBay for yoru "fine" crystal? I'm thinking about it myself. So far, we have not even opened the crystal we got for our wedding. Pretty stuff but our China is modern enough that our good wine glasses look just fine.

I figure even if I can harvest 50% of their value new, that would still be a tidy sum of $$.

I feel your pain on the "use of the wedding/other crystal" issue. I got in "trouble" on both Thanksgiving and Christmas for bringing, to quote my mother, an "unsightly" glass to the table. "We're using your Grandmother's crystal tonight, son." Not with this wine, we're not, Mom.

i've become completely reliant on reidel. i will probably never buy a different brand unless something comes along that is proven to be better.

Bigot!

Oh yeah, that's right. You said you felt better and were driving 85 miles per hour again!!!

i'm back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

... and better than ever!!!

Anyone who know you would assume that "real" wine glasses trump wedding crystal. Your wife will get over it eventually. We use our wedding Orrefors just for water, if at all. Who cares about mixing and matching..it's usually tough to tell the difference. I may just send our orrefors to Ebay now that it's been mentioned

Rothko - the scorn will pass once she sees the possibilities of what she can do with the re-capitalized "shoe, purse, clothing, etc" fund. I'm going top pitch my eBay idea the same day the new LV catalog comes

I don't think our wedding crystal has seen the light of day for a decade. We found that Riedels are as or more classy than almost any wedding crystal anyway.