The Zalto Bordeaux Glass
The glass for wines with muscle. Tall, tapered, and built to tame powerful tannins.
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The short answer
The Zalto Denk'Art Bordeaux is a tall, tapered glass made for bold, tannic reds — Cabernet, Bordeaux blends, Brunello, powerful Shiraz. Its height softens firm tannins and keeps the fruit driving forward. It's mouth-blown, feather-light and expensive — the glass to reach for when a serious red deserves the best. Drink a lot of Pinot Noir instead? You want the Burgundy.
The specs
Height
240 mm
Bowl width
109 mm
Capacity
765 ml
Bowl shape
Tall & tapered
Why the shape works
A Bordeaux bowl is tall with a relatively narrow rim. That height gives a big, tannic red room to breathe on the way up, while the taper directs the wine to the back and centre of your palate as you drink. The result is that firm tannins land softer and the wine's dark fruit and structure come through with power rather than harshness.
Zalto's version does this while weighing almost nothing. Each glass is mouth-blown by hand in Austria from lead-free crystal, and the bowl's angles are famously based on the 24°, 48° and 72° tilt angles of the earth. In the hand it feels impossibly thin — the glass recedes and the wine takes over, which is exactly what you want from a great red.
Best wines for the Zalto Bordeaux
- Cabernet Sauvignon
- Bordeaux blends (Left & Right Bank)
- Merlot & Rioja
- Sangiovese — Brunello, Chianti Classico
- Shiraz / Syrah with power
- Full-bodied, structured whites
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Zalto Bordeaux Glass — FAQ
What is the Zalto Bordeaux glass for?
The Zalto Denk'Art Bordeaux is built for bold, tannic red wines — Cabernet Sauvignon, Bordeaux blends, Brunello and structured Shiraz. Its tall bowl and slightly narrower rim guide the wine to the back and sides of the palate, softening firm tannins while keeping the fruit powerful and the aromatics lifted.
What is the difference between the Zalto Bordeaux and Burgundy glass?
The Bordeaux is taller and more tapered (240 mm, 765 ml) and is made for powerful, tannic reds like Cabernet. The Burgundy is shorter but much wider and rounder (230 mm, 960 ml) and is made for delicate, aromatic reds like Pinot Noir and Nebbiolo. Choose Bordeaux for structure and power, Burgundy for perfume and finesse.
Is the Zalto Bordeaux glass dishwasher safe?
Zalto states the Denk'Art glasses are dishwasher safe, and many owners do machine-wash them on a gentle, low-heat cycle. That said, the crystal is extremely thin and hand-blown — most sommeliers hand-wash them to be safe, since the greatest risk is knocking the delicate bowl or stem against other items, not the water itself.
Why is the Zalto Bordeaux glass so expensive?
Every Zalto is mouth-blown by hand in Austria from lead-free crystal, with the bowl angles based on the 24°, 48° and 72° tilt angles of the earth. You're paying for genuine craftsmanship, feather-light weight and a rim so fine the glass almost disappears in the hand. It's a splurge — but for a serious red, few glasses match it.
Do I need the Bordeaux glass or the Zalto Universal?
If you drink a wide range of wines, start with the Zalto Universal — it handles almost everything well. Add the dedicated Bordeaux glass if big, tannic reds are what you open most often and you want to show them at their absolute best. For a Cabernet or Bordeaux lover, the Bordeaux shape is a genuine upgrade over the Universal.