Thursday 12 June 2014

The Glass Battle - Riedel vs Zalto - Round Three

It was to be a Spätburgunder that Riedel and Zalto would have battled over in this third round. But, alas, the bottle was corked.
I didn't have another suitable bottle of Spätburgunder but came to think that I also drink a lot of Chardonnay out of this glasses, so with some twists with the corkscrew - ta da - a half bottle of Corton-Charlemagne is opened and poured in the glasses.

2009 Corton-Charlemagne, Vincent Girardin - in Riedel Vinum Montrachet
Instead of the Vinum Pinot Noir I have this glass in the Vinum series that is deigned for Chardonnay which is named Montrachet no less.
Out of this glass a fine, elegant, somewhat restrained nose arises, with notes of lemon peel, lemon cream and hard lemon candy - a lot of lemon! There is also some petit scents of cap gun smoke, cold butter and star fruit. Fine but it doesn´t really show off.
The taste is young, dense and concentrated with notes of grilled lemons, lemon fudge, melted butter and some caramel. There is more action in the taste. A fine acidity in the long, intense finish, Very, very good. Good as it shows in this glass, it is not the winner, read on.

2009 Corton-Charlemagne, Vincent Girardin - in Riedel Vinum Extreme
The Extreme glass takes the nose and flavour of the Montrachet glass and turns the level up. There is more of everything - sweet fruit, warmth, almost some burned butter and even a touch of alcohol in the long finish. Somewhat burly. The least good glass in this round.

2009 Corton-Charlemagne, Vincent Girardin - in Zalto Burgundy
Yet again, the Zalto can take place on top of the podium. The nose is more deep and intense than out of the Montrachet glass, yet with a refinement that isn´t there in that glass. A lovely spiciness to the lemon fruit. This is a great Corton-Charlemagne sniff!
The taste is equally stunning with a creamy concentration, focus and a balance that lacks in the other glasses, even though the Montrachet glass is very good. There is a gorgeous salty note in the middle of the taste. A clear winner. I have to get me some more Zalto glasses!
94p   (tasted 2014/06)

 

4 comments:

  1. Christ! That did it. Now I have to buy myself a whole array of the Zalto glasses. Love your glassy posts! ;-)

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    1. Thanks Ulf! Yes, more Zalto glass is going to fill up the glass cupboard.

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  2. You should maybe try Scott Zwiesel "the first" series first.... :-)

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    1. This could be a never ending story...:-)

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