English fizz producer Digby Fine English has launched the first glass designed specifically for English sparkling wine in collaboration with Gurasu London.
Hoping to capitalise on the growing thirst for drinking homegrown fizz, Digby spent two years developing the glass with London-based crystal maker Gursau.
Priced at £32.50 per glass, the stemware will go on sale at Harvey Nichols and on both the Digby and Gursau websites in mid October.
Made from lead free crystal, according to Digby, the dishwasher safe glass is “exceptionally thin and strong” and takes design cues from Georgian cut crystal.
Designed so that the fizz can be swirled to unveil its aromas, the glass’s curved top allows “each bubble to release layers of flavour”.
The glass has been crafted to hold 125ml of English sparkling wine but can also comfortably accommodate 150ml of liquid.
Its three-finger stem is inspired by traditional English cut crystal glasses, while its low centre of gravity “helps protect against breakages”.
Harvey Nichols will also be selling gold-embossed £100 gift boxes containing two hand-blown Digby glasses and a bottle of Digby’s 2010 Vintage Reserve Brut.
“England has its own unique terroir and style of fine sparkling wine, and this deserves its own vessel to show it off to full effect.
“It was key for us that our glass is technically perfect to enjoy English fizz, with its complexity and lively personality,” said Digby’s chief executive, Trevor Clough.
Joanna Maya, owner of Gurasu London, added: “My long-time desire has been to create a beautiful and unique glass for English wine, so collaborating with Digby was a no-brainer.
“We both have shared values inspired by British heritage, the luxury industry and the pursuit of excellence. I believe the Digby glass will become a design classic.”
The new glass will be used at a Digby Fine English masterclass held on Friday 12 October at The Wine & Spirits Show, which takes place at The Royal Horseguards hotel.
Free to attend on a first come first served basis, the event will explore how glass shape affects the taste, aroma and flavour profile of English sparkling wine.
The masterclass will be held at 3:30-4:30pm at One Whitehall Place, 2 Whitehall Court, London SW1A 2EJ. Those interested in attending should email Trevor Clough on: tclough@digbyfineenglish.com.
