Elise Terlato and Maximilian Riedel with their new glass.
Any avid wine drinker knows that the only thing that’s as important at the wine itself is the glass it comes in. The distinct shape of the glass can completely change how your palate tastes the flavors, and the experience can hinge on what tastes and aromas hit you first.
This is something that the artisan winemakers at Terlato knew very well when they set out to create a new label of Pinot Grigio back in 2015, but they encountered a unique problem; there’s never been a glass out there suited for that type of wine. Realizing this, they looked to a long-time business partner to help end this conundrum once and for all…
Terlato Wines has partnered with wineglass making company Riedel to create a new style of glass perfect for Pinot Grigio. The two companies have had a longstanding relationship, going back around 30 years. Now, Elise Terlato, her family biz’s Associate Marketing Manager and Maximillian Riedel, his company’s CEO and President, have teamed up to create this uniquely shaped glass that will help bring out the flavors in Pinot Grigio.
“My grandfather Anthony Terlato and Maximilian’s father George Riedel got together around 30 plus years ago,” said Elise Terlato. “We were the first supplier of Riedel glassware in the Midwest…We’re strong advocates for them.” Elise admits that Riedel glasses can be seen in their offices, and that the best way to enjoy their wine is with Riedel glasses. It seemed like a no-brainer that she and the company would turn to them to get this idea off the paper and into practice.
Having to create something totally new is no small feat, so Maximillian and George got to work testing tons of different shapes for what fit the bill best. The Riedel brand and family has centuries of experience and over 800 unique glasses under their belts, and this diligence would see this project through.
Terlato’s Pinot Grigio.
“Pinot Grigio used to be a very casual, food-friendly wine,” Maximillian said. “Now that it’s being approached with a certain quality like Terlato has, it’s really asking for the glass.”
Elise explains that her father went to Italy himself in search of an idea for the first Pinot Grigio to add to their list. The journey led him to the historically wine-focused region of Friuli Colli Orientali in northeastern Italy. Here, the cold climate of the western Alps and the warmth of the Adriatic makes for the perfect combination for growing grapes for Pinot Grigio, and Terlato officially started their first vintage in 2015.
Maximillian explains that when making a wineglass, it’s not about making it look pretty; in their eyes, the glass is a tool, and they’re the toolmakers. The glass they created, with its distinct elongated bowl and narrow mouth, brings out the mineral and fruity flavors and aims them at the mid-palate where our taste buds are more complex.
“This is how you’re going to pick up on those little nuances,” Elise said. “It’s hitting perfectly where it should. The mouth of the glass is not letting the complexities of the wine escape the wrong way.”
If you want to get your hands on glasses like this, you can’t get these individually. What you’ll need to do is purchase a bottle of Terlato’s Pinot Grigio at independent retailers nationwide, or order the wine at any participating restaurant or bar, and use the mail-in rebate to get two of these glasses sent to you for free. You read that correctly; free.
Get ready to raise your artisanal glass and enjoy Pinot Grigio the way it finally should be.
