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Short version: yes, a good glass changes what you smell, and the Winewings Sauvignon Blanc is a very good glass. Whether it is worth the money depends entirely on where you buy it, and in Australia that is the whole story.
This is the flat-bottomed one that looks like an aircraft wing. Riedel made it for unoaked Sauvignon Blanc, and it does exactly what it claims. It also costs more here than it should, which is the part most reviews skip.
Table of Contents
What It Is
The Winewings range is Riedel article number 1234/33 in this shape. Machine-made crystal glass, a single stem in a branded box, and dishwasher safe according to Riedel. The bowl holds 742 millilitres in total, and Riedel recommends a pour of about 125 millilitres, which is roughly a sixth of the glass. That looks stingy and it is not: the empty space is where the aroma collects.
The flat base is the point of difference. Instead of the usual rounded bottom, the wine sits in a wide, shallow pool. More surface area touching air means more evaporation, and more evaporation means more smell reaching your nose. Riedel built the collection after being asked for the ultimate Cabernet glass, then made a version for each of seven grapes plus Champagne.
Who It Is For
- People who drink a lot of Sauvignon Blanc, Vermentino, Albariño or dry Chenin and want to smell more of it.
- Anyone who already owns a decent all-purpose glass and wants one upgrade rather than a full set.
- Gift buyers. It arrives in a Riedel box and looks like it cost what it cost.
It is not for a house with small children, a crowded dishwasher or a tiled floor. It is a tall, thin, expensive object and physics has opinions about those.
How We Tested It
The same bottle of Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc poured into three glasses at the same temperature: this one, a standard tulip white wine glass, and a supermarket all-purpose glass. Same pour size, same ten minutes, smelled in rotation and then again after twenty minutes.
This is not a laboratory. It is a kitchen bench with three glasses on it, which is also how you will use it.
What We Liked
The aroma really is louder. Not subtly. The passionfruit and cut-grass notes arrive before the glass reaches your face, where the standard tulip needed a swirl first. If you have ever wondered whether glass shape is marketing, this is the shape that settles the argument.
It stays fresh longer. The wide, shallow pool warms up faster than a narrow bowl, but the small recommended pour means you finish it before that becomes a problem. A big pour in this glass goes warm and flat, so the stingy-looking measure is doing a job.
It is genuinely light. Thin, even walls, and no weight in the rim to get between you and the wine.
The stem is a normal length. It fits in a standard dishwasher rack, which sounds dull and matters a lot.
What We Did Not Like
The Australian price. Riedel lists this single glass at US$50 on its own site. At the time of writing, the Australian Amazon listing was $100.81 for one glass, with only two in stock. That is a wide gap for the same object, and it turns a reasonable indulgence into a hard sell. Check a local homewares retailer or a Riedel stockist before you click.
It takes up a lot of shelf. The bowl is nearly 11 centimetres across at its widest and the glass stands about 25 centimetres tall. Measure your cupboard first. Several people have not.
It tips. A wide flat base sounds stable and the bowl is still high and heavy when full. Do not put it near the edge of a table with a tablecloth on it.
Dishwasher safe is doing some work. Riedel says yes, and also says to check the placement so it never touches anything else. In a full family load that is a promise you cannot keep.
Alternatives Worth Considering
- The Winewings Pinot Noir or Nebbiolo glass. Same idea, red wine shape. Our Winewings Pinot Noir review covers it.
- A good all-purpose glass. If you drink a bit of everything, one shape you actually use beats six you are frightened of. See the glasses roundup.
- The Winewings tasting set. Cheaper per glass than buying singles, if you want more than one.
What to Pour in It
This glass is built for unoaked Sauvignon Blanc, so give it one with something to say. Our Sauvignon Blanc guide covers the styles, and the beginners guide covers the rest of the vocabulary.
Tamburlaine Central Ranges Preservative Free Sauvignon Blanc 2025
A bright, unoaked Australian Sauvignon Blanc with plenty of aroma to work with, which is the fair test for a glass that claims to amplify it.
- Organic and preservative free, so the fruit aroma comes through clean
- Central Ranges fruit, cooler than most mainland Sauvignon Blanc
- Unoaked, which is exactly what this glass was shaped for
- Under $20
- Preservative free wine does not keep. Drink it young and drink it cold.
The Verdict
The glass works. The aroma difference is real and you do not need a trained nose to notice it. If you drink Sauvignon Blanc often and you can find one near Riedel’s own list price, buy it and enjoy it.
At double that price for a single glass, buy the tasting set or a good all-purpose glass instead and spend the difference on wine. The glass is worth its price. It is not always worth the price you are being asked. Buy it here: Riedel Winewings Sauvignon Blanc on Amazon Australia.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Riedel glasses worth it?
For the shapes that do something specific, yes. A varietal glass like this one measurably changes how much aroma reaches your nose, and aroma is most of what you taste. The catch is price: at Australian retail, the same glass can cost double Riedel’s own list price, so where you buy matters more than whether you buy.
Are Riedel glasses dishwasher safe?
Riedel says the crystal glass range is, with the warning to place each glass so it never touches anything else. In practice that means a half-empty rack. Hand washing is safer and takes about a minute.
How much wine do you put in a Winewings glass?
About 125 millilitres, which is Riedel’s recommended pour. The bowl holds 742 millilitres in total, so it will look nearly empty. The space above the wine is where the aroma gathers, so filling it defeats the design.
What is the flat bottom for?
It spreads the wine into a wide, shallow pool. More of the wine touches air, more of it evaporates, and more aroma reaches your nose. It is the same idea as swirling, built into the shape.
Which wines suit the Sauvignon Blanc Winewings glass?
Unoaked Sauvignon Blanc first, and Riedel also lists it for Albariño, Vermentino, Chenin Blanc, Semillon, Gewürztraminer and dry Tokaji. Broadly, aromatic whites without heavy oak.
Is one glass enough, or do I need the set?
One is enough to find out whether shape matters to you. If the answer is yes, the tasting set costs less per glass than buying singles.
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