Wine glass pioneer Riedel dies

GENOA, Italy, March 25 (UPI) -- Wine glass design pioneer Claus Josef Riedel, who realized that wineglass design could affect wine taste, died Wednesday, justdrinks.com reports.

Riedel suffered a heart attack in Genoa, Italy. He was 79.

Riedel became president of Riedel Crystal, founded in 1756, in 1957. He stepped down in 1994 and was succeeded by son Georg.

Riedel discovered the effect that glass shapes had on taste by experimenting, and developed a line of glassware that included special glasses for different wines. Riedel Crystal also created glasses especially for tequila and single malt Scotch.

Riedel glasses remain on permanent display in the Museum of Modern Art in New York.