Founded in 1756, the Riedel glassworks of Austria has long been known as the gold standard for stemware. Designed by 10th-generation glass-maker Georg Riedel and crafted of genuine 24% lead crystal, each Riedel Vinum glass is a showcase for the color and body of the finest wines. But, it's the painstakingly researched shape of the glasses that makes Riedel stemware unique. By carefully matching the shape, volume and thickness of the bowl, as well as the diameter and finish of the rim, to the characteristics of particular wine varietals, Riedel creates the ideal harmony of glass and wine. Riedel Vinum glasses are purposefully designed to direct the flow of a particular varietal, and its elements of fruit, acidity, tannin, minerals, and alcohol, to the taste zones of the palate in a way that best reveals the attributes of the wine in question and creates a balance of flavors.