Press release -
THE CHAMPAGNE GLASS ‘Richard Juhlin Optimum’ by Italesse
Italesse closed the year 2014 with a main event in the company’s history, perhaps one of the most important and ambitious projects ever undertaken: the presentation of the perfect glass for tasting Champagne.
THE CHALLANGE
A challenge from a technical, formal and design standpoint which Italesse has dealt with through an extraordinary work of synergy between Richard Juhlin, the ’nose’ for Champagne par excellence, the trio of designers and architects Claesson, Koivisto and Rune, the minds behind of the world’s most celebrated design firms, winners of numerous awards, including the Red Dot Design Award (Best of the Best 2013) and Designer of theYear 2013-2014 (Elle Decor) and, of course, Italesse, a company with over twenty years of experience working side by side with some of the more prestigious Champagne Maisons, able to develop technical know-how of an extremely high level.
EXPERTISE
A concentrate of expertise that has breathed life into Optimum, a glass studied down to the smallest technical and formal detail in order to turn the tasting experience into a truly memorable sensory experience.
THE DESIGN PROCESS
Following the strong indications provided by Richard Juhlin, extremely able in cataloguing Champagne tastes, fragrances and shades thanks to his one-of-a-kind olfactory sensitivity, Claesson Koivisto Rune have managed to complete the arduous task of ’translating’ the technical suggestions into an ideal stem glass, featuring perfect proportions and essential lines.
The skillful balance of the height and width of the bowl, the closing of the glass rim - proportionally studied with respect to the bowl angle, the depth of the piqûre and of the perlage point, the sublime quality and lightness of the glass, perfectly distributed, guide the aromas and fragrances of the Champagne towards the nose with the right intensity, for unparalleled tasting.
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‘Richard Juhlin Optimum’ - the dream of perfection
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THE JUHLIN LINE
Richard Juhlin has moreover optimized the serving level of the Champagne in order to obtain the maximum sensorial experience. This line – called the ’Richard Juhlin Line’ – is available in a special edition of the Champagne glass.
THE TEST
At the taste test, Richard Juhlin was enchanted by his own creature. The Optimum glass, in fact, offers the experience of state-of-the-art tasting, “the Champagne opens up perfectly, I can taste all of its complexity and delicacy”, stated Juhlin. The Optimum, in short.
UNIQUE DESIGN
Lastly, the unique design, which can be seen in the sunken curve at the base of the glass, makes Optimum an icon for Champagne lover, beyond fads, combinable with any other line of wine and water table glasses and stem glasses, elegant and minimal, formal and modern.
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A voyage between technology and design
A combination that perfectly expresses Italesse’s mission.
A journey from Trieste to Stockholm, in search of the perfect Champagne tasting glass. The project develops through the work of 3 hands, through exchanges, prototyping, tests. Richard contributes all his ability and immense knowledge related to the world of Champagne; Claesson - Koivisto - Rune give Richard’s demands form translating them into lines and shapes, reinterpreting tradition with contemporary elements; finally Italesse applies technical skill - ls and knowledge of glass production processes, bringing improved quality and achieve the necessary complexity of the object, pushing beyond industrial limits. There is a strong, shared sense of purpose at the root of the project.The result is there for all to see.
The result is ‘Richard Juhlin Optimum’.
Champagne is the language of luxury.
This is your dictionary.
Perfection is in the details
The skilful balance between height, mouth diameter and bowl width, for perfect tasting. And then its design rendered unique by the intuition of the inward curve.
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diamètre de l’embouchure | mouth diameter
The rim is proportional to the height and angle of the bowl. It is closed just enough to allow the champagne to direct the fragrances and aromas perfectly towards the taster’s nose.
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largeur | bowl width
The maximum diameter of the bowl means an optimal quantity and surface area exposure of champagne to the air. This is the ’Juhlin line’, the ideal measurement for releasing champagne aromas and fragrances in the best possible manner.
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piqûre et point de perlage | perlage point and piqûre
The bowl depth is conceived to favour perlage in the centre of the glass, for perfect tasting. Inside the piqûre, on the bottom, there is a circular ring comprised of numerous small micro-etchings on the glass surface: this is the perlage point. When the champagne is poured into the glass long bubble chains are produced (known as perlage) and the effect is long-lasting.
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hauteur de la coupe | bowl height
Perfectly balanced dimensions along the entire height of the glass, both at the bottom, in terms of the depth of the piqûre, and in the angle of the cheminée, i.e. the angle at which the bowl gradually closes. A technically impeccable shape: the generosity of the 'Juhlin line' enhances the virtues of champagne, while the significantly taller cheminée ensures the right distance for tasting, concentrating the aromas and fragrances of the champagne to the perfect intensity and channelling them harmoniously towards nose and mouth.
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courbe rentrante | inward curve
The extreme delicacy of the glass that sinuously coils towards the stem designs a light, gentle curve and gives the ’RJ Optimum’ a unique iconic identity.
The certainty of an impeccable table setting
Perfect on any table, from classic to contemporary, from sophisticated to minimalist. 'The RJ Optimum' is an 'individual' glass, but its uniqueness makes it suitable for table settings with any other line of stem and glass ware, be it for wine or water. A glass that is able to enhance to tastes and flavours perfectly, transporting the senses of the taster through a truly memorable sensorial experience.
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The simplicity of a sophisticated pleasure
’The RJ Optimum’ is ideal for wine bars, to be held with a simple, elegant and harmonious gesture. With every sip you perceive the beauty of the glass aware of holding a technically perfect tasting instrument in your hands. Because ’RJ Optimum’ enhances champagne, it brings it to life. It undeniably heightens the tasting experience, and it is accessible to everyone, even those approaching the world of Champagne for the first time.
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THE VIDEO
The designers and architects Mårten Claesson, Eero Koivisto and Ola Rune (of Claesson Koivisto Rune Architects) meet with the world's no.1 Champagne expert, Richard Juhlin, at their studio to talk about some of the ideas behind the new Champagne glass that they have collaborated on.
Three years in development, the 'Richard Juhlin Optimum' Champagne glass, manufactured by Italian brand Italesse, will be launched at the famous Chateau Les Crayères in Reims, Champagne, on November 20th.
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Richard Juhlin is the world’s number one champagne expert, most famous for his skills in blind taste testing. Since 1998 he has held the world record for most champagne ever tasted, having tasted close to 12,000 different unique champagnes in his lifetime.
In 2013 Juhlin was awarded the Légion d’honneur. His additional awards include the Chevalier d’Arc in 1997 and the Mérite agricole from the French Ministry of Agriculture in 2002, and in 2003 at the annual Spectacle du Monde tasting in Paris he correctly identified 43 out of 50 champagnes. Juhlin is also credited with arranging one of the greatest champagne tastings ever held, a 1999 Stockholm Millenium tasting event spotlighting 150 of the best champagnes ever made.
Juhlin is the author of eight books, including Champagne Hiking, The Great Tasting and 3,000 Champagnes, all three of which received the prize for ‘Best Book on French Wines in the World’ at the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards. Another release, 4,000 Champagnes, received an important prize – ‘The International Champagne Writer of the Year Award’ in 2005 at The Louis Roederer International Wine Writers’ Awards at Vinexpo in 2005.
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’By listing more than 10,000 tasting notes of Champagne, Mr. Richard Juhlin has established himself as one of the best connoisseurs of Champagne in the world and one of the most influential promoters of this French know-how (savoir-faire). His outstanding work, carried out with determination for more than 20 years, has contributed significantly to the spread of Champagne in Sweden & the world, but also to the promotion of the Champagne-Ardenne region here. In appointing Richard Juhlin Chevalier of the Legion of Honor, the French authorities wanted to pay tribute to his work of passion and promotion of Champagne’
by the French President François Hollande
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‘The Mozart and Beethoven of wine today may be Robert Parker and Richard Juhlin. Robert Parker received the highest distinction in France, the Legion of Honor in 1999 from President Chirac. Richard Juhlin received the Legion of Honor from President François Hollande in 2013. As the Emperor of Austria might have said, Beethoven (and Parker) might make more noise, and Mozart (and Juhlin) may have too many notes, but both are beautiful for everyone and changed music (and wine) forever.'
Edouard Cointreau - CEO - Gourmand World Cookbook Awards
