Lafite glasses are an unusual name for glassware, but they are called shot glasses, stemmed glasses. Their main feature is their tulip-shaped form. Lafite glasses got their name thanks to the lordly red wine Chateau Lafite. Over time, they began to be used more for vodka, but the name remained.
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History of the Lafite glass
Chateau "Lafite-Rothschild" wine of the late 19th century. The French region of Bordeaux was famous for the vineyards of the Paillac commune. The Rothschild family acquired the vineyards in 1868, and since then their family name has been indicated in the full name on the bottles.
Lafite was brought to Russia only to the royal house. The price was so high that common people could not afford it. It was for this that small, exquisite glasses of glass on a weighted stem with cutting and carving were created.
Later, similar items of a simpler form without decorations began to be used for other fine wines, but the name remained - Lafite glass. The size was different - 50, 75, 100, 125 and even 150 ml, although glass was not a cheap material at that time. In addition, each item was made separately by hand, which further increased the price.
If aristocrats could afford it, they ordered various decorations. Craftsmen blew the required shape together with the stem, painted, decorated with carving, polished. The signature feature was cutting. They also tinted the glass, giving it greenish, bluish, blue and rarely red shades.
At the beginning of the 20th century, Lafite glasses became more accessible. They learned to make them using pressed glass technology on machines. Remembering the tsarist times, people began to buy Lafite glasses often. In addition, more interesting crystal products appeared. Glasses of 50 and 75 ml were no longer used by people for wines, but for stronger drinks, mainly vodka.
Nowadays, a Lafite shot glass is by definition any glass or crystal dish in the shape of a "tulip" on a stem. And if you want to buy such an interesting item of former luxury, you need to know a few features.
Characteristic features:
- presence of edges;
- the leg can be of any length – low, medium, high;
- capacity from 25 to 150 ml;
- for decoration they use engraving, gilded cutting, monograms, carving, inlays;
- Most often transparent, but may have shades.
Despite the fact that the main material of these glasses is glass, crystal products were and still are in special demand. The play of light on the edges could not fail to attract attention. Transparent cold vodka or any wine in crystal glassware sparkles mesmerizingly, turning the feast into pleasure. In addition, you can find additional dishes for glasses - decanters, herring dishes, small trays decorated in the same style.
Which manufacturers are worth paying attention to?
Dyatkovo Crystal Factory – founded in 1790 and still operating. It is famous for the fact that along with machine production, it has not lost the ancient technologies of manual Lafite production. Quality and finesse of execution are the main distinguishing feature of the factory today.
It is worth paying attention to the Belarusian plant "Neman". They released miniature 25 ml glasses. They are called merchant Lafitnik, to sip, not to get drunk. They produce gift sets. The dishes of this plant are of very good quality and at affordable prices.
Types of Lafite glassware
Lafitniks are divided by size, which determines their use.
- 25-35 ml – suitable for liqueurs, vintage cognacs when serving coffee, tea or dessert;
- 50 ml – vodka, bitters, brandy, liqueurs are served;
- 75 ml – suitable for serving strong and dessert wines such as Cahors, Madeira, port, Muscat;
- 100 ml – used for white dry and semi-dry table wines (Aligote, Chardonnay, Chablis, Riesling), when serving with fish, white meat;
- 125 ml – suitable for red dry and semi-dry table wines (Mukuzani, Saperavi, Bordeaux, Beaujolais) when serving main hot meat dishes or cheeses;
- 150 ml – champagne is served.
Features of using lafitniks
Transparency of glass or crystal is a necessary condition for the shine of faceted glasses. Even tinted material must be as transparent as possible. The more complex the decoration of the product, the more time you will have to devote. The complexity of care also depends on the length of the stem.
Modern dishwashers have a delicate "Crystal" mode, but they can damage the products. It is difficult to exclude the presence of microcracks, their presence can lead to partial or complete destruction. In addition, many detergents contain abrasive particles that scratch the surface of this dishware. Over time, such use will lead to the formation of turbidity, and the glasses will lose their special shine.
By using four basic rules, Lafitniks will delight you with their excellent, unique appearance for a long time.
- If the glasses are covered with dust, it is enough to wipe them with a dry paper towel. The addition of potato starch will increase the effectiveness. A small amount of it should be applied to the surface and rubbed with a dry cloth.
- Minor stains can be easily removed with soap and water. Just a little bit of detergent, leave the items in the resulting liquid for a while. Rinse with clean running water. Dry the glasses with a towel.
- Potato broth will help remove greasy stains. It is enough to boil 4-5 small tubers in their skins in 2 liters of water. Place the Lafite utensils in the lukewarm liquid for several hours. Then wash in soapy water.
- Heavily soiled glasses are completely immersed in a vinegar solution for 15-20 minutes. 1-2 tablespoons are diluted per 2 liters. The same method will destroy the green coating. After soaking, it is enough to rinse with running water and rub the glasses.
No matter how much time passes, Lafite tableware will continue to attract attention. A large selection of shot glasses, goblets, stemware for any holiday will always decorate the table and make the atmosphere pleasant and inviting.
