Sommeliers (1973) – the world’s first grape varietal specific wine glass collection and a design revolution created by Claus J. Riedel (9th generation) who perfected glass design to its essence: bowl, stem and base. Riedel‘s Grand Wine Glass Collection was born in 1958 when the „Pokal Hoch“ was first exhibited at the WORLD EXHIBITION in Brussels. The glass was instantly awarded a „Grand Prix“ for its creative and striking design. Shortly afterwards, New York‘s Museum of Modern Art (MOMA) selected it for their permanent collection as a significant piece of 1960s design. Today the „Sommeliers Burgundy Grand Cru“ is the linchpin of the hand-made Sommeliers collection. Thin-blown and unadorned, it adheres to the Bauhaus design principle of form follows function. Claus J. Riedel worked with experienced tasters and discovered that wine enjoyed from specifically designed glasses showed more depth and better balance than when served in generic glasses. In 1973 the Sommeliers collection achieved worldwide recognition. The glass collection covers 29 different shapes for wines, champagne and spirits.