Summer Design Exhibitions - Fire And Vine: The Story Of Glass And Wine
Wine and Glass have been deeply entwined for centuries, around the world. This Summer (re)discover some stunning glass creations produced to pay tribute (and enjoy) wine.
Episode Seven: Fire and Vine: The Story of Glass and Wine at the Corning Museum of Glass.
Keuka Lake. Courtesy of Brave World Media
Located within New York State’s Finger Lakes Wine Country, the Corning Museum of Glass (CMoG) is the foremost authority on the art, history, science and design of glass.
It is home to the world’s most important collection of glass, including the finest examples of glassmaking spanning 3,500 years.
Every day, visitors can enjoy the ‘Make Your Own Glass’ experience at the glassmaking studio (next to the year-round school) and the Rakow Research Library.
‘Fire and Vine: The Story of Glass and Wine’ is a special exhibit exploring the deeply entwined relationship between wine and glass. Presenting the art, history, and science of how glass touches wine as it travels from the grape, to the bottle, and to the cup on our table, the exhibit is largely drawn from the Museum’s own holdings, the world’s most comprehensive collection of glass.
The exhibition also demonstrates how the combination of wine and glass has figured into social gatherings for thousands of years from the lavish feasts of Ancient Rome, to the polite society of 1700s Britain, and to the essential experience within our food culture today. The exhibit is organised by Katherine Larson, curator of Ancient Glass at CMoG.
It depicts the story of how, for more than 2,500 years, the strength, impermeability, and versatility of glass have played an important role in every step of a wine’s journey—factoring into the production, distribution, sale, and ultimately the enjoyment of this intoxicating beverage.
Beside a display of dozens of wine glasses from around the world, representing the many styles, tastes, and occasions where wine was part of the festivities, highlights also include a rare 2,000-year-old fragment of cameo glass depicting a grape harvest (above), a still-sealed bottle of wine found in an 18th-century shipwreck off the coast of England, a 17th-century Italian document describing an “almost unbreakable glass jar” that could prevent wine from spoiling.
Additionally a set of antique French hydrometers for measuring the alcohol content of wine, among other fascinating objects pulled from the Museum’s permanent collection, as well as from the collection of the Museum’s Rakow Research Library, most of which have seldom been on display.
The story of glass and wine has particular relevance in the Finger Lakes of New York State. The Finger Lakes is the home of U.S. Bonded Winery No. 1, established in 1860, and where cold-climate European vinifera grape varieties—like Riesling—were first introduced in eastern North America in the mid-20th century. Concurrent with the growth of Finger Lakes wines, Corning, New York emerged as the “Crystal City,” widely recognised as a world leader for its accomplishments in glass artistry and innovation.
Goblets from the Sommeliers Series, Claus Josef Riedel (Austrian, b. Bohemia, 1925–2004), designed in 1973, made in 1982. Courtesy of The Corning Museum of Glass
The story of glass and wine has particular relevance in the Finger Lakes of New York State. The Finger Lakes is the home of U.S. Bonded Winery No. 1, established in 1860, and where cold-climate European vinifera grape varieties—like Riesling—were first introduced in eastern North America in the mid-20th century. Concurrent with the growth of Finger Lakes wines, Corning, New York emerged as the “Crystal City,” widely recognised as a world leader for its accomplishments in glass artistry and innovation.
‘Fire and Vine: The Story of Glass and Wine’ is on show until December 31st, 2022.
hero picture: Wineglass Tiffany Studios. Courtesy Corning Museum of Glass
