Each Riedel glass adheres to three main design parameters — the size, the shape and the opening.

The size controls how much air is in contact with the wine, the shape determines how the liquid flows to the opening, and the rim’s diameter influences how fast the wine flows, and then, how it lands on the palette.

He says even an average drinker’s palate can appreciate the differences in taste.

“We belong to the category of mammals and have a brain. We’re naturally drawn to sucrose. The sweeter something is, the more we like it,” Riedel says.

Glasses, he explains, can over-accentuate the bitter or acidic components of wine, while others, with more optimal design, should bring out a wine’s fruitier flavors.