Does the Unusual Shape of the Josephinenhütte Glass Make Wine Taste Better?

By WineBottleMag
December 28, 2024
Glass Josephinenhütte Shape Taste Unusual Wine
With 0 comments

I’ll admit it: I’ve never trusted wine geeks who insist that glassware doesn’t matter. You know the type—happy to swill a pricey bottle out of a chunky tumbler because that’s how they do it in France. Or the camp that says, “it’s the wine that counts, not the vessel.” Spare me the sermon. A great wine deserves a great glass, just like a Picasso deserves a proper frame.

It was over a bottle of Rudi Trossen’s Eule Purus Riesling—a cloudy, almost cheeky little number—that I had my first brush with Josephinenhütte glassware. A friend whipped them out like they were showing off a shiny new toy.

“You’re going to want to use these,” my friend said, handing me Josephine No. 1, a vessel with a curious-looking, bulbous bowl that flares out toward the bottom. I remember raising an eyebrow and muttering, “Do I need a glass with this shape? Does anyone?”

The answer came quickly enough.

The First Encounter: Riesling in the Josephine No. 1

The Josephine No. 1 was handed to me, its cocoon-like shape cradling the wine. It seemed fragile but my friend banged it on the table to prove how robust it is. It softened the acidity, coaxing out the wine’s layers of ripe orchard fruit, a flicker of beeswax and that electric mineral zing that makes Mosel Riesling irresistible.

Curiosity took over. We started opening bottles like kids tearing into presents on Christmas morning. A Grüner Veltliner from Nittnaus. A Muscadet from Jo Landron. Even a fruity sake from Terada Honke that I’d been saving for a rainy day.

Each wine came alive in the No. 1, its aromas sharper, its flavors more precise. It was like the glass was cutting through the noise, letting the wine speak for itself.

And just when I thought I’d seen it all, my friend poured a splash of Manzanilla Sherry from Equipo Navazos. I took a sip, and it was like the glass had unlocked a secret level: Salty, nutty and utterly captivating.

The Man Behind the Glass

It wasn’t until later that I learned the mastermind behind these glasses was Kurt Josef Zalto, a name that’s practically holy scripture for glassware fanatics. Zalto’s Denk’Art series had already earned him a reputation as a glassware master, and with the Josephinenhütte, he’s gone a step further.

Zalto’s designs aren’t just beautiful; they’re purposeful. With Josephinenhütte, he’s created glasses that aren’t afraid to challenge the status quo.

The Universal Cup: Jack of All Trades, Master of All

After the initial introduction, I wanted to test the whole range over the course of several weeks. I was very excited for the Josephine No. 2, the Swiss Army knife of their glasses. It has a similar silhouette as the No. 1, but has a slightly wider bowl. This is the glass for when you can’t be bothered to think about pairings but still want to drink like a pro. One minute, it’s cradling a bold Rioja; the next, it’s romancing an aged vintage Champagne. This glass doesn’t care what you throw at it.

We poured a Lambrusco from Podere Sottoilnoce into the No. 2 one night, expecting the usual dusty cherry, faint spice and some bubbles. What I got instead was a revelation. The fruit was richer, spice more aromatic, bubbles gentle and the finish longer. It was like the glass turned all the lights off, with the spotlight on the wine only.

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The No. 3: A Heavyweight Contender

The Josephine No. 3—a notch wider than the No. 2—is a glass for Barolo dreamers and Syrah romantics, for wines that need time to reveal their personality.

We poured a Pierre Taille from Thibaud Capellaro watching as the wine unfolded like a Scorsese movie plot. The tannins softened, the plum fruit ripened and the floral notes slid into a gentle embrace. The glass held far more than just the wine.

But Gravner’s Ribolla Riserva was the ultimate test. The skin-fermented white wine acts like a red thanks to its tannins, oxidative qualities and leathery hints. It’s a wine that drinks like it’s daring you to like it. But the big glass tamed it, smoothing out its rough edges and laying its complexity bare. It was a perfect match.

A Flute, but not a Gimmick

I’m not usually one for Champagne flutes. They feel too fragile and too prim and close off the wine. The Josephine No. 4, which is a mashup of a tulip’s silhouette and the cocoon’s notch, is elegant without being fussy, its shape designed to highlight the bubbles while still letting the wine breathe.

I would still opt for No. 1 or 2 for my bubbles, but for special occasions when you need to make toast, No. 4 will make you happy. I tested it with a vintage Franciacorta, a pét nat and some Champagne. Pét nat might have been the best, but the more traditional bubbles worked as well.

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A Tool, Not a Trophy

Here’s the thing about Josephinenhütte glasses: They’re not for people who want a showpiece to gather dust in a cabinet. They’re for drinkers. Sure, they’re mouth-blown, handcrafted and uniquely shaped, but they’re also practical. They survive the dishwasher (most of the time) and hold their own at raucous dinner parties. They’re light but not fragile, elegant but not pretentious.

So, do you need another expensive wine glass in your life? If it’s Josephinenhütte, I would argue yes.

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