You know what’s around the corner? Harvest season. As in wine. And you should be prepared, because you never know when you’ll be inspired to open that 1989 Lafite. Or that vintage Brunello. So you need these wine glasses in your life. If you haven’t heard of Zalto, welcome to your newest obsession.
The Best Wine Glasses in the Business
If you’re a wine lover, you should be a glass lover, too. At least that’s the philosophy at Zalto, where the glass is a tool used to realize a wine’s fullest potential.
If you didn’t know, you know now: There’s a whole industry out there dedicated to judging, curating, and crowning the best of the best wine glasses. And when you finally score your reservation at Le Bernadin, a Zalto glass will be waiting for you. The French Laundry‘s Thomas Keller swears by the glassware, as does the team at Eleven Madison Park. There’s no debate: Zalto stemware is widely considered the best there is.
It’s All in the Details
So what makes a wine glass so special? More importantly, what makes a single glass worth $60? Sure, there’s the fact that each glass is handblown in Europe, developed in Austria, and inspired by six generations of Vatican influence. But more than anything, it’s about the experience that the glassware delivers.
You don’t need to be well-versed in science to see that Zalto glassware’s architectural makeup is as calculated as it gets. The ultra-thin crystal bowl allows the wine to stay at its original temperature, while a sturdy base provides stability. And crucially, the glass enhances the taste of your wine more than any other vessel. You can’t argue with that logic.
Where to Get Your Glass
Because nothing can be totally perfect, Zalto glasses do have a downside. And that downside is their rarity in today’s market. Considering the glassware is handmade and mouth-blown in an Austrian workshop, it’s certainly not a speedy manufacturing process. One glass takes a team of eight artisans to create. Combine that with the past two years of COVID and supply-chain issues, and you get a highly elusive product. While Zalto predicts its stock is back on the rise as of this summer, obtaining the glasses will remain a slow process through 2022.
The good news? The slow production is somewhat of a return to the brand’s roots. In this age of fast fashion and rapidly circulating trend cycles, the brand is still committed to the slow-moving artistry perfected over the past 200 years. Talk about mindful sipping.
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