Riedel
Sommelier (1973), Claus Josef RiedelFounded in 1756, Riedel is an Austrian glassware manufacturer, best known for its glassware designed to enhance the taste of different types of wines. In the early 1900s the factory had to close down, but in 1957 Claus Riedel, with assistance from Swarovski, was able to reopen the glassware factory, turning it into today’s Riedel Glass Factory.
In 1961 Riedel introduced the first line of wine glasses created in different sizes and shapes. Before this, conventional stemware had used a single basic bowl shape, with only the size varying depending on use. The concept was illustrated to perfection with the introduction of the Sommeliers series in 1973, which achieved worldwide recognition. Designed by Claus Riedel, the Sommelier series is functional as well as beautiful, made according to the Bauhaus design principle: form follows function.
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