Never got to use it as it shattered in my hand when washing it with a sponge. I should have known based on the paper thin glass. If you have bigger hands I would recommend washing it with as bottle brush.I have used Sommeliers for over 30 years. In the last six months, two Montrachet Sommeliers have broken in my hand while drying them. There is no question about the virtues of the glass when it comes to drinking wine. It far outshines anything else that I have tried over the years (and not just due to the thinness), especially in side by side comparisons. This version of the Sommeliers is very, very thin. So much so that any uneven pressure when drying the glass by hand may cause it to break. Aside from the glass shattering, there is the matter of all the thin pieces of glass scattering and very difficult to find on the floor because the small pieces blend so well on a linoleum floor or a carpet where its remnants are carried by foot traffic. And one maybe cut. That and some of the shards of glass were paper thin. Other Sommeliers aren't nearly as thin; for example, the Bordeaux, Burgundy, Hermitage, Hermitage Black Tie, Chardonnay, Zinfandel, Port, Sauternes, Vintage Champagne glasses. There is a limit as to how thin a glass can be and not prone to breakage, under normal usage, even if one is very careful. This may be it and may have gone over the line, unless one considers the Montrachet to be a disposable glass after a few uses. Perhaps, Riedel will toughen up the glass, making it less likely to break. Still, this is a necessary glass in a set of Sommeliers.Some of the reviews of various Riedel Sommeliers series wine glasses are correct in commenting on their relative fragility, but the criticism isn't really deserved. First, these are handblown crystal--no two are alike, and yes,this does mean some glasses may be even thinner than others. And the Riedel Montrachet glasses are probably their thinnest. But "thinness" in a wine glass is a virtue and, for that matter, much more difficult and expensive to make than a thick glass. I won't take up your time with a long explanation here of why thinness is an essential quality in a wineglass, but the short of it is that it makes the wine taste better! The Riedel company did at one time have a very nice essay on the subject--it's probably still available on their website and it's worth reading.Meanwhile, let me say this: Bad things happen in shipment, true, but the last glasses I ordered from Amazon came in beautiful Riedel shipping tubes that were, themselves, packed within an Amazon shipping box. So I think both Riedel and Amazon are doing their best with a fragile product. As to breakage by guests, which one critic commented upon: serve them with Riedel Vinum series or other less expensive glasses: if they can break a Sommeliers series glass by holding it, trust me, they'll never know the difference. Regarding washing: NEVER wash these glasses in a dishwasher (instant exploding crystal) and ALWAYS hold the glass when you're washing it by cupping the bowl lightly in your hand; avoid holding it by the stem. Be especially careful drying the glasses: again, don't twirl the glass by the stem (everyone who buys Riedel must do this once before we learn), and don't stuff the towel into the bowl--the result will be that the thinnest part of the glass, by design, which is the lip, will simply crumple.This probably sounds dire and discouraging, but I've had Riedels now for about 20 years and we use them every day. I think in those 20 years we've broken 4 glasses. In my opinion, the taste superiority of a Riedel glass fully justifies the expenseGREAT PRODUCT, BUT ONLY GOT ONE GLASSI feel these glasses are a bit 2 thin. Could be made just a tad thicker making them more durable. But love the shape and feel of them. We don’t like a rolled lip on our glasses and these fit the bill as well as being an unusual shape!Riedel glasses aren't for everyone. They are fragile and break easily. They are expensive, particularly if you drink relatively inexpensive wine.Are they worth the price? Absolutely, and the more expensive the wine you drink, the better they show. Half of the taste of a great wine is the smell, or nose, and Riedel glasses are designed to bring that to the fore. Wine tastes so much better with a Riedel glass.I have broken several Riedel glasses and learned through experience to handle them carefully and never, ever to wash them after I have been drinking wine. I rinse them out, turn them over to stop the water from drying, which creates a ring, and then I wash them in the morning. And don't use a sponge that you use to clean your dirty plates. Use a sponge dedicated to cleaning your wine glasses. Also, Amazon sells a range of cleaning tools that will help you to keep your glasses clean and that help to avoid breakage.Very nice quality glass but it is not really superior to the much cheaper Riedel Vinum Whiskey glasses which are the same seamless design but cost only $20 each (less than a third the price of this glass)The advantage of the Sommeliers line is that they are mouth blown in Austria (Riedel's home) instead of machine blown in Germany and Riedel snobs will notice the the Riedel logo is done in script instead of block letters, signifying the top of the line glass that made Riedel famous.For wine glasses it is easier (though still difficult) to justify the high price of the Sommeliers over the Vinum as the difference in quality and shape is more noticeable. But for whiskey glasses I will be buying more of the Vinum version going forward.I bought two of these glasses - one directly from Riedel and the other from a German company called de Casa. The Riedel glass was as expected, beautiful, delicate and what I had ordered. The de Casa was a Riedel whisky glass, but not from the Sommelier range but the less expensive, machine blown range. Avoid this company at all costs. I bought this glass for a lawyer who now has to help me get a refund from this company. I have used China Chaps in the past (also for Riedel Sommelier glasses) & can highly recommend their service. I made a mistake here, trying to save money. I won't be doing that again.Expensive but very pleasing to use - and wine really does taste better in an appropriate glass.Superb glass of finest quality. Must very handled very carefully.Beautiful glass but very very expensive. My fiancé loves to drink his port. The glass makes the drinkAwesome, it really lift up the wine arom.
