Riedel Hearts Miele

By Pat Tanner

Why I didn’t immediately see the connection between Riedel, the luxury wine glass company, and Miele, the high-end appliance company (other than their Germanic roots) when they announced a strategic partnership earlier this year is beyond me. But it’s now as clear as Riedel’s famed crystal stemware: the company is recommending Miele dishwashers – exclusively Miele – for the safe machine washing of their wares. (As an owner of a Miele dishwasher for the last three years, in which I regularly wash my finest stemware and even vintage china, that I was so slow on the uptake is particularly galling.)

To celebrate the partnership, the Miele Gallery in Princeton is hosting a wine seminar led by Maximillian Riedel, eleventh generation glassmaker and CEO of Riedel Crystal of America. In a comparative tasting, he will demonstrate the relationship between the shape of a glass and the perception and enjoyment of wines using the company’s 3 Generations Tasting Set. It includes the Sommeliers Burgundy Grand Cru Glass that was designed in 1958 by his grandfather, Claus Riedel; the Vinum Cabernet Glass, designed in 1986 by his father, Georg Riedel; and the O Chardonnay – the stemless tumbler that he designed in 2004.

Ticket price is $65 – and that includes taking home the 3 Generations Tasting Set (a $135 value.)

The event takes place on Wednesday, May 11, beginning with a reception at 6:30 p.m., followed by the comparative tasting at 7 p.m.

The official address of the Miele Gallery is 9 Independence Way, Princeton. However, most people recognize it as the Michael Graves-designed building, with tall, cobalt-blue columns, that stands out from its neighbors along Route 1 in South Brunswick.

To sign up, send email to: katharina@riedelusa.com, or phone her at 732.346.8960, ext. 139.