The Hard Stuff

Klutzes of the world rejoice: a new type of "unbreakable" wineglass is here to save you from yourselves. French glass and tableware manufacturer Arc International, www.arc-international.com, has developed a handblown crystal that it says is hard enough to be banged vigorously and repeatedly on a table or floor without breaking. That's not the only advantage of the new material, which Arc has dubbed Kwarx (the formula is a trade secret). The color of wine is said to be more faithfully perceived because of Kwarx's perfect neutrality on the chromatic scale, and the material has been used in a new range of Arc wineglasses called Open Up—a reference to their ability to "open up" the aroma of wines being served.

There are specific glasses for Champagne, Chardonnay, tannic wines (like Cabernet) and soft wines (such as a Zinfandel), as well as a "universal tasting" glass that can be used for any variety (although it handles Sauvignon particularly well). After testing the Kwarx effect, Simon Tam, director of the International Wine Centre in Shanghai, rules: "These glasses deliver an accurate environment for wine appreciation. The calculated, wide glass bulb gives plenty of surface area for the wine to blossom." There's just one drawback: Will Greek or Russian weddings, where wineglasses and other breakables are smashed for luck, ever be the same again?