Zalto Glasses
"I didn't think that there would be anything better on the glass
market, this glass is."
Francois Mauss, president of the Grand Jury
European.
Technical perfection is the basic principle of the Zalto Glass House. The tradition of using only the most highly skilled glass-blowers is reflected in the fineness of each Zalto glass. It echoes the delicate virtuosity of the great Venetian glass artists of the Renaissance.
In the northern part of Lower- Austria the tradition of glass blowing goes back to the early 14th century. Since then glass-blowers have been producing high quality hand- blown glass in this region, which has made a name for itself among bon vivants beyond all borders.
From the first touch, each Zalto glass distinguishes itself from all other glasses. From the perfectly executed balance to the extraordinary design. Despite its feather-light weight and delicate edges, the Denk`Art series of glasses maintains all the best attributes of a modern glass as far as care and longevity are concerned.
Denk`Art glasses may be washed in a dishwasher and should be considered your everyday glass as well as the glass to use for your most special occasions. They are produced without the addition of lead oxide and are resistant against clouding.
"It is so light and thin to hold and just gives the wine that extra oomph of character on the palate. If the wine is light and elegant, it gives it an extra
dimension of finesse. If the wine is powerful and rich, it gives it some extra
meat. If the wine is fresh and fruity, it adds in some fluffy brightness. This
glass shows the best on the palate than any other glass I have come across and
when you take all aspects of the wine into account, it is my favorite,
period."
Brad Baker, Gang of Pour
Using only the highest quality raw materials and employing only the most skilled
glassblowers in the region, each and every Zalto glass is hand-crafted and
mouth-blown. This assures the technical perfect that is the basic guiding
principle of the Zalto Glass House, and results in a glass that can stand
beside those of the greatest glass artists of Venice.
At first glance, a Zalto glass seems nearly too delicate to hold, and yet it is
actually quite durable due to advanced techniques and design. The glass is one
piece from bowl to stem, with the base then attached. This differs from other
glasses where the bowl is attached to the top of the stem, creating a weakness
at that point. This, in conjunction with another element of the design, means
that if the glass tips over it lands on it's strongest point- the curve of
the bowl- and rarely breaks.
The line is produced by the Zalto Glasshutte in the town of Neunagelberg in
Lower Austria, where the art of glass blowing goes back to the early 14th
century.
The roots of the Zalto family, six generations now in this region,
reach back to the famous glass artisans of Venice.
Their pursuit of perfection
has continually raised the bar in the level of Austrian crystal work: a quality
that has been recognized the world over for decades if not hundreds of years.
Every aspect in the design of the Zalto line has been made in the pursuit of
creating the finest wine glass available.
The curve of the bowl of each glass in the Zalto Denk'Art line are tilted at
24, 48 and 72 degrees, which correspond to the tilt angles of the Earth. As the
ancient Romans knew, this triumvirate of angles, when used in vessels for food
and drink, not only kept its contents fresher, but also improved the taste.
Further, the width of the bowl at the point of the curve is such that it allows
for the greatest amount of surface space desired for the type of wine it is
intended. A good swirl can be given at that point, and the shape then funnels
the bouquet to the nose.
That the glass is lighter, thinner and more elegant in appearance is more than
just an aesthetic ideal. It is that the lip of the glass is so thin that the
wine is delivered better to the palate. The glass itself doesn't stand in the
way of the taste of the wine. If you can imagine trying to sip a fine wine from
a hefty beer mug, you can understand why this is so.
"We recently discovered Zalto Denk'Art glassware from Austria, whose elegant,
eye-catching design first piqued our interest and whose dishwasher-safe
performance won us over. These glasses allow us to swirl and view appealing
whites and inhale the bold aromas of reds. If we use them every weekday for a
year, we'll have upgraded every sip of wine we drink for just a few dimes a
day."
-Karen Page and Andrew Dornenburg, The Washington Post, January 2, 2008
Dishwasher safe. In fact, dishwasher safer. Hand washing the glasses can
actually be more risky as pressure from within the glass has a greater chance
of causing breakage.
The glasses are resistant to clouding and scratching and in tests have remained
crystal clear for over a hundred passes through the dishwasher.
In this way, you can feel free to use your Zalto glassware as your "everyday"
glass as well as the glass for your best occasions.
