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Ina Garten's go-to wine glasses for hosting are down to just $24 a pair at Amazon
The Barefoot Contessa keeps things low-maintenance with Riedel stemless tumblers: 'I think they’re really simple and they’re really pretty.'
If there's one person who knows how to host, it's Ina Garten. The Food Network star is the queen of relaxed yet elevated entertaining, and often emphasizes the importance of keeping things as easy as possible. After all, the more at ease you are, the more fun your guests will have! In the spirit of low-maintenance party-throwing, the Barefoot Contessa revealed that her go-to wine vessels are far less flashy than you might think.
"I usually use stemless wine glasses from Riedel," she told CNN Underscored. "I think they’re really simple and they’re really pretty." Well, imagine our delight when we found a pair of Riedel The O Wine Tumblers on sale for just $24 (down from $39) at Amazon. We know what we'll be sipping from this holiday season!
We might not be able to secure an invite to an Ina Garten Hamptons bash, but taking inspiration from her laid-back entertaining style is the next best thing.
Why is it a good deal? 💰
We love Ina, but her favorite things aren't always within our price range. (Case in point: Her go-to brand for white plates sells them for $39 apiece.) That said, this markdown brings the price of her wine glasses down to less than $11.50 each, which feels quite attainable. Plus, at over 40% off, this price is the lowest they've gone all year. Better stock up on a few sets before the holidays!
Why do I need this? 🤔
Aside from sommeliers and wine connoisseurs, we're willing to bet most of us have held a dainty, teetering stemmed wine glass and worried about spilling its contents everywhere. Especially after a few too many drinks! That's why these stemless Riedel tumblers are ideal for group settings — they offer much more stability, so your white sofa and carpet are less likely to sport unsightly red stains.
That said, there's more to the design of these glasses than meets the eye. Their rounded bowls are meant to enhance the wine's properties — particularly red, in this case — for a more robust taste experience. (The brand makes other glasses for white wines, Champagne and more.) Oh, and for easy cleanup, they're dishwasher-safe.
What reviewers say 💬
Ina's in good company; Amazon customers are loving these glasses for their looks, versatility and the effect they have on flavor.
Pros 👍
"The perfect wine glass does exist," declared one satisfied shopper. "Both extremely practical for everyday use and fancy enough for special occasions. These are the perfect wine glasses to enjoy on your own or to share with friends."
"These wine glasses allow the flavor of good wine to shine," raved another. "It is in the shape of the bowl, angle and how thin the lip is. The thinness is what makes it more fragile, but ALL good wine glasses are fragile. I like this stem-less version because I feel it is less likely to get knocked over and broken."
"Great quality wine glass," shared a third. "Beautiful to hold and sip from. I actually can tell a difference in [the] taste of the wine, and this is coming from someone [who] would buy 99-cent wine glasses at TJMaxx."
Cons 👎
"These glasses are the BEST for red wine," swooned a mostly happy buyer, who also warned, "Since they are really thin crystal, they are extremely fragile."
"Classy and swirly. Love these," wrote a final fan, adding, "A little hard to clean if you don’t have a dishwasher."
Not a wine drinker? Serve up some cocktails instead!
Oh, and about Ina's aforementioned white plates — we found a set that's similar to the Barefoot Contessa's and costs less than just one of her dishes.
"I definitely like white," she says in the same CNN Underscored interview. "The plate is really about what makes the food look best and I like it set against a white background. I never like plates that have patterns on them."
If you have Amazon Prime, you’ll get free shipping, of course. Not yet a member? No problem. You can sign up for your free 30-day trial here. (And by the way, those without Prime still get free shipping on orders of $35 or more.)
The reviews quoted above reflect the most recent versions at the time of publication.
