ThePortForum.com

Gentlemen,

I think we had that topic once, but it went very quiet around it. Shouldn't we produce some handy glasses with a forum label? My personal price-value-winner concerning port glasses is - as you all know - the Alvaro Siza Glass of Schott Zwiesel.

I do have contacts to them, because they are my partner in tastings and do produce my company glass as well. I guess the proceedings would be that firstly we would have to get a decent number of people who are willing to buy some and then desing a label. With the initial label costs the price for the glass should be somewhere near 4-5 EUR including Tax. Transport to the US and UK however might be a problem, too, but I think that there would be the possibility to split the transport or to have it delivered to the UK in total.

ideas and comments, please.

Axel

Can you find out from them how big the minimum order is and what pricing bands they use? An order for 100 might be quite straight-forward, whilst an order for 1,000 might be trickier!

I have sold the IDVP glasses before. I think I had about 50 cases or so. Thinking about doing another round soon, but was worried that I would be stuck with them. Currently I have about 100 just for my own tastings. They are good glass and pretty sturdy too.

I`m ready....

What are people's thoughts on the stem architecture of the 'official' glasses?

I'm not terribly enthused, personally; I think I'm happier with a conventional round stem..

Tom

uncle tom wrote:What are people's thoughts on the stem architecture of the 'official' glasses?

I'm not terribly enthused, personally; I think I'm happier with a conventional round stem..

I quite like it, as long as the logo is on the correct (i.e. the one opposite the notch) side!

uncle tom wrote:I'm not terribly enthused

Neither enthused nor annoyed. Indifferent.

JacobH wrote:

uncle tom wrote:What are people's thoughts on the stem architecture of the 'official' glasses?

I'm not terribly enthused, personally; I think I'm happier with a conventional round stem..

I quite like it, as long as the logo is on the correct (i.e. the one opposite the notch) side!

I'm not fond of it. It means there's only one good way to hold the glass, and I just can't be bothered to be that precise every time I pick up a glass for a sip.

Also, for the notch to work correctly (it's for your thumb) the logo must be etched at the proper angle to the notch. Which is NOT directly across from the notch nor directly above the notch. It's 5-10 degrees (or 185-190 degrees, depending on your preference for logo facing) counter-clockwise from the notch.

Which then looks off-kilter when you're not holding the glass.

Riedel Vinum >>> official IVdP glass, even considering the price difference.

Port is sticky. The rim of the glass becomes sticky, so I tend to drink around the rim until it has become evenly sticky, at which point I change glass. This argues against the notch, or at least in favour of ignoring it.

Glenn E. wrote:

JacobH wrote:

uncle tom wrote:What are people's thoughts on the stem architecture of the 'official' glasses?

I'm not terribly enthused, personally; I think I'm happier with a conventional round stem..

I quite like it, as long as the logo is on the correct (i.e. the one opposite the notch) side!

I'm not fond of it. It means there's only one good way to hold the glass, and I just can't be bothered to be that precise every time I pick up a glass for a sip.

Also, for the notch to work correctly (it's for your thumb) the logo must be etched at the proper angle to the notch. Which is NOT directly across from the notch nor directly above the notch. It's 5-10 degrees (or 185-190 degrees, depending on your preference for logo facing) counter-clockwise from the notch.

Which then looks off-kilter when you're not holding the glass.

Hmm!I’ve never had the problem you describe about the logo being 5”“10°s off. I’ve therefore been experimenting with a branded Cognac glass which doesn’t have a thumb rest but, helpfully, has the cross-shaped Martell logo on it (which is quite good for testing horizontal and vertical alignment).

I think the 5-10° issue may only arise if you hold the glass between the pad of your thumb and fingers, as you would hold a pen. This results in your thumb pointing to the left (if you are right-handed) and causes the glass to rotates as you lift it to your mouth. Rather than doing this, if you hold the glass with the tip of your thumb pointing forward (as you might hold a paintbrush or a pencil for sketching*), then the problem does not arise.

[* viz:

]

I feel the Glenn in that I strongly prefer the Riedel over the Schott-Zweisel, I find the thumb notch irritating rather than useful.

I quite like to roll the stem of my glass between my finger and thumb sometimes. Square or notched stems make this more difficult.

Does anyone know of alternative ISO glass producers?

JacobH wrote:I think the 5-10° issue may only arise if you hold the glass between the pad of your thumb and fingers, as you would hold a pen. This results in your thumb pointing to the left (if you are right-handed) and causes the glass to rotates as you lift it to your mouth. Rather than doing this, if you hold the glass with the tip of your thumb pointing forward (as you might hold a paintbrush or a pencil for sketching*), then the problem does not arise.

Even worse! Not only is there a mere one way to hold the glass correctly, that one way is uncomfortable and requires that I re-learn how to hold a glass.

The problem with holding the stem like a paintbrush is that I have very large hands which make it difficult to pick up a glass as you describe it being held. I'd have to pick it up the usual way (between the pads of my thumb and fingers) then shift hand position to take a sip. Bleh.

Square stems are what you get when you hire an architect to design your drinking glass. After using both for several months I find that the old IVdP design is superior to the new one, but still greatly inferior to the Riedel Vinum Port glass. (I purchased two glasses at Ramos Pinto which are the new design manufactured by SZ. The two glasses I purchased at Noval are the old design. My set of 6 IVdP-branded glasses are the new design but not manufactured by SZ, and strangely they seem to me to be superior in quality to the Ramos Pinto SZ glass.)

I like the IVDP glasses, and have no problem with the notch whatsoever. I find them very pleasant to use. Although I would like to have some with TPF logo, I don't think it would make any sense for me, as I already have a healthy stash (both with and without IVDP logo).

Thanks for the quick inputs. Minimum order is 150 and as I said, the costs without shipping is about 5 EUR. Would we get them together with all the people who like them?

I wwill find out the shipping fee to the UK and would do the finances to get them done. Any volunteers for the logo-design?

Axel

P.S.: Yes, Alex, I do like the Riedel much more, too, but I am certain that we will not get them produced with our label for a reasonable ammount of money.

Axel,

What sort of packaging will they come in?

Unless the original packing is strong, practical and readily re-usable, I quite like the idea of getting flight cases fitted to hold them.

This 'off the shelf' flightcase would hold 63 glasses when partitioned, and not be over-burdensome.

http://www.flightcasewarehouse.co.uk/mu ... =4647-2571

If we had two cases of glasses, we would have the practicality of smaller offlines being adequately served by one case, and larger events by two.

If 150 glasses were ordered, it would fill the two cases and leave a further two dozen to cover breakages and supply those who wanted a few TPF glasses to use at home.

Good idea? Yes..No..??

Tom

63 glasses of what size? The ISO glasses are 60mm across (bowl and foot); the IVDP glasses have a foot of about 72mm.

Axel P wrote: Any volunteers for the logo-design?

Me. What are the constraints?

63 glasses of what size? The ISO glasses are 60mm across (bowl and foot); the IVDP glasses have a foot of about 72mm.

Need to check that - when I Googled to find the dimensions, I got figures of 46mm x 167mm..

Tom

Axel P wrote:P.S.: Yes, Alex, I do like the Riedel much more, too, but I am certain that we will not get them produced with our label for a reasonable ammount of money.

Sadly, I think you are absolutely right.

But I was thinking that there are other designs of tasting glass available. The wine fairs in London usually give you a "Decanter Wine Fair" branded tasting glass that would be perfectly adequate for our tasting events but is presumably very cheap.

uncle tom wrote:

jdaw1 wrote:63 glasses of what size? The ISO glasses are 60mm across (bowl and foot); the IVDP glasses have a foot of about 72mm.

Need to check that - when I Googled to find the dimensions, I got figures of 46mm x 167mm.

My numbers were from memory: please check and post here.

But I was thinking that there are other designs of tasting glass available. The wine fairs in London usually give you a "Decanter Wine Fair" branded tasting glass that would be perfectly adequate for our tasting events but is presumably very cheap.

The glasses used in the lodges would be perfectly adequate - perhaps we should ask where they get their supplies..

Tom

Would members be interested in resurrecting this idea to produce some commerative glasses as part of the 10th anniversary celebrations next year? Or was the idea fully explored and found to be too much hassle?
Just a thought...