An exclusive interview with Maximilian Riedel, CEO and President of Riedel
An exclusive interview with Maximilian Riedel, CEO and President of Riedel
This year Riedel celebrates 265 years in business. How did the sector develop since 1756?
Many things have changed, including our production methods. In those days the focus was more in jewelry and practical things such as buttons of shirts, and giftware. The theme of wine glasses is only present since 1956.
The interests of the consumer have changed. The needs of the consumer have also changed, and we all benefit from the wonderful world of fine wine. The wine was always reserved for the royal family and for the church, and nowadays it’s accessible to all of us. And we celebrate wine in a daily basis. Those are the key factors that have changed, and that made us a very popular brand globally.
Riedel has succeeded in leading the glassware sector for haute cuisine and hospitality industry. Which has been the key of this success?
The key of the success is that we were able to work with the wine industry and the wine makers, who are the anchor of our success stories; because without them we would be still part of only beautifully decorated tables. There are other glass manufactures that make maybe prettier wine glasses, but our glasses are instruments for those who take wine serious. As long as a wine maker believes that our glass gets the most of his wine, the consumer will follow it.
Eleven generations of the same family have been taking care of this precious legacy since the beginnings of the company. How does this family-owned trademark develop its management to face a global market where big conglomerates progressively acquire companies?
So far nobody asked us to sell our company. I think our brand is very much related to the leaders of the company, to the generations, to the family of Riedel. One of the secrets of our success is the people behind it.
We are a global player. I got my training and my education in North America, I have traveled the world over and over again, so I’m in very close contact with my customers, with my partners, with my consumers; and since I can’t travel any more, social media has become my personal introduction to the consumer. I have become now reachable to my consumer. Even though we are a traditional company, a traditional family, we are using the most advanced machinery to produce our glasses, and we are using modern communication to be in contact directly with the consumer, and I think this is the key to success in the 21st century.
In your opinion, which has been your personal contribution to the legacy of the company?
I have dedicated my life to the cause, to the brand Riedel, and to the wish to pass it on to the next generation. All I do is related to my business. There is so much that goes into it, that I could not say it is one particular item, or one collection, or one person or one employee: it’s teamwork and team effort; that’s the key to success. Riedel is my last name; it’s my legacy.
The creation of specific glasses for each grape variety has been one of your strongest bets. How did its implementation in the domestic and restaurant business work?
I think we have been successful in making the industry aware that wine not only needs to be produced and consumed, but also needs to be celebrated. Nowadays people invest in wine. It’s not any more about how much money you have in your bank account, it’s about how much Petrus you have in your cellar, or how much Romanée-Conti. Wine has a different status than 5, 10 or 100 years ago. Wine has become so precious and looked after, it has become a status symbol. It’s not anymore if you wear a Rolex or an Apple Watch, it’s about what kind of wine you drink or can afford.
No matter what wine you drink, what grape variety, from whatever country, from whatever culture, in whatever situation you are, you invest in wine money. When you open it, you want to get the most out of it. I believe that the link between a great bottle of wine and my personal senses is the wine glass. It communicates; it’s a loudspeaker that can get so much more of this experience.
Wine is about sharing, and we have created the tool that links the vineyard and the knowledge of the winemaker and the precious bottle to my senses.
Which are the must-have of Riedel that a wine lover should have home?
Whatever grape variety you enjoy the most, that’s the wine glass you must invest in. The old thinking that everybody needs at home a red, a white and a champagne glass, is dead.
The second question would be: what quality level should I invest in? Because Riedel has a Cabernet glass at so many different price levels. Depending how the glass is produced, it has a certain quality level, and a different price point. The best answer is: What is your budget? How much do you spend in a bottle of wine in average? And with this budget you should also invest in your glasses. A Riedel glass can be as inexpensive as less that €10, or as expensive as €150. But it makes no sense to buy a €150 glass when you drink wines at a completely different level.
You transformed the decanters into objects of great beauty that have gained prominence on our tables. Which role should the decanters play in our daily wine consumption?
I think every wine should get the chance to shine. And the only way that a wine can shine is with a proper glass, the proper temperature, and the right preparation: decanting the wine.
The most common reason why we decant is because wine is sold and consumed way too young. And the only way to naturally age a wine fast is by decanting the bottle of wine; aerating it, exposing it to oxygen.
There is such a demand for wine, that nowadays there is not enough wine produced, because of natural influences. With the decanter you give the young wine the chance to develop, as it would be aging. So I decant all my young wines: white, rosé, champagne and red; because I want to get the most out of my investment. And the other reason is because it’s cool, it’s fantastic, it’s the celebration of the moment.
Which are your objectives for the next decade?
We are going right now through challenging times. We are experiencing a hype in my industry. Everybody is asking for hand made glasses and decanters, and there is just too much demand and very little supply.
There is a huge hype in hand made goods, and the disadvantage of this is that we can’t supply, because nobody wants to become glassmaker any more. Nobody wants to work with the hands. Everybody is trained on computers, and in home office, and nobody wants to go to work anymore. And this is poison for the future; and the European Union will have to deal with this. There are other countries where people are still used to work with hands, with knowledge and education, but we are not allowed to invite them to work for us in the European Union. My fear is not to find workers.
As an entrepreneur, another big issue is that there are no more new markets. Riedel is distributed in over 100 countries. There is not a single country anymore where we don’t know the culture, or we don’t know the language, so all we can do is grow within those markets. And this will be challenging, because we need to talk with a new customer, who might not like to dine fine, or drink fine wines, so how can I reach this customer? How can I communicate with this customer? How can I educate this new customer to drink from a fine glass?
What is luxury for you?
Time. Time with my family, time with my friends, time for my wines to develop. Time to develop something new. And I really don’t understand people who waste time. Time is pure luxury.
Photocredit: Riedel Glas.
