Universal Wine

Is there a “Universal’ Wine for a “Universal” Wine Glass?

Some generous friends gifted me two Zalto Denk’Art Universal wine glasses for my birthday this month - thereby doubling my number of Zalto glasses to four. Those who are lucky enough to own Zalto stemware know they are some of the best – and the worst - wine glasses in the world.

They’re the best and the worst glasses for the very same reason: they fully reveal the character of a wine. This is a desirable attribute when the wine is first-rate and a decided drawback when the wine is simply okay.

As one who drinks both kinds of wine - though sadly more of the latter than the former – I tend to drink from my “regular” wine glasses: the Riedel Ouverture Magnums. These are good all-purpose wine glasses that cost a third of their Zalto counterparts ($25 versus $75) and the difference is discernible when I compare the wine in each of the two. A passable wine proves much more palatable in the Riedel – its shortcomings less starkly showcased - while the wine in the Zalto is unforgivingly revealed. Often as not in the Zalto glass I’d find aspects of the just-okay wine I didn’t particularly like.

Wine professionals I’ve talked to over the years (all diehard Zalto fans) have confirmed my impression - and noted it as one they’ve experienced themselves. A top New York wine director once described wine glasses to me as “speakers for wine” when I noted my findings. His analogy seems apt if you consider how a glass can accentuate both stellar qualities and flaws. Perhaps that’s why top sommeliers love Zaltos, as they certainly drink great wines more often than I do.

The accuracy of the Zalto glass is attributed to its design: its bowl is precisely tapered at an angle said to mimic the tilt of the earth. Named after revered wine guru and Catholic Priest Hans Denk, the Denk’Art Zalto Universal glass is produced from hand-blown, lead-free Austrian crystal that is delicate yet dishwasher-safe. I prefer to put my Zaltos in the dishwasher rather than wash them by hand- fearful I might accidentally snap off a stem.

There is one fact about the Zalto Universal glass that has long puzzled me. While its name suggests this glass could flatter any wine, the Zalto website suggests otherwise. In fact, there are several wines specifically noted as best suited to the Universal Glass.

One of the wines cited by Zalto that gets my vote as the most “universal-ish” is Grüner Veltliner, the de facto national grape of Austria that is famously flexible with all kinds of food including hard-to-pair artichokes and asparagus. Grüner certainly seems a lot more universal in its appeal than the other wines Zalto cited as suited to its Universal: “Riesling, mineral-edged Chardonnay, Chianti and complex sparkling wines.”

The Grüner I selected for my Zalto Universal – the 2025 Ott Fass 4 Grüner Veltliner ($30) - was made by Bernard Ott, a first-rate biodynamic winemaker based in the Wagram region of Austria who focuses exclusively on Grüner Veltliner.

Katja Scharnagl, an Austrian native and the Portfolio Ambassador for Austrian, German and Slovenian wine at Skurnik Wines & Spirits in Manhattan told me that the Fass 4 bottling is “something of a calling card for the estate- a wine that sits beautifully between everyday Grüner and the more serious single vineyard wines.” A crisp white marked by aromas of herbs, citrus and spice that were both lifted and precise, the Fass 4 was as much a joy to drink as my Zalto glass was a joy to (be) hold.

I don’t know if there is really such thing as a universal wine or for that matter, a universal wine glass. I guess “universal” is in the eye – and the mouth - of the oenophile. It’s certainly more marketable - and more succinct - than what I call “An Amazing Wine Glass.”