Wine Decanters
From LoveToKnow Wine
Many of us think wine decanters are for looks only, or perhaps somewhere the idea was that decanters were for that old 1960 Mouton Rothschild hanging around the house. Luckily for you, they are not for display only, nor are they reserved for that special bottle of wine — thus only to be used on special occasions. I would say that decanters are probably THE singular thing you can purchase to drastically change the wine you drink. Robert Mondavi recently said in an interview in Wine Spectator magazine that, “I think all red wines should be decanted, regardless of age or wine type.” I probably wouldn’t go that far, but he has a point.
What is a Wine Decanter?
First of all, we should probably discuss what a wine decanter is. Decanters are carafes: a bottle with a stopper; for serving wine or water. That is the simple definition…but there is much more to that. Decanters can be in all shapes and sizes, with or without a stopper, and made of various materials. We’ll talk more about different styles of decanters and what is best for your needs further down the article.
What does it do?
What does a wine decanter do? Basically, it’s to aerate your wine and avoid sediment in the bottle. OK, great, what does that mean…well, just as a wine “opens up” in your glass, it would also do that in a decanter. If you pour the entire bottle in the decanter you give all the wine a chance to open up and breathe, get oxygen and really come to life. For older bottles, you can slowly pour the wine into it to avoid sediment. See Decanting a Wine for more information.
Buying One for Yourself
OK, so you’re convinced you want to give this a try and now you want to get one. What kind? The list is endless! There are so many decanters from so many different producers that to name them all would be impossible. On top of that, some people like to search for the antique decanters, so that’s a whole other direction. Some things to consider:
Elegant/Practical
Do you want elegant or practical? For elegant there are many very intricately designed glass/crystal decanters available for purchase. Antique decanters fit this category very well too. The problem with the elegant ones is that they are usually not shaped in way that aids the oxygenation (breathing) of the wine. So, if it’s more of a pretty factor, or to store your brandy in, then that may be the way to go.
Wine Friendly Decanters
The more practical wine decanters have a very wide base that tapers sharply as it goes up to the fluted top. This is by far the most practical and widely used type of decanter for wine connoisseurs and restaurants. The wine’s surface area is expanded greatly with this type of shape, thus exposing more wine to oxygen and more effective breathing. There are other takes on this “aeration” design (the most unique I’ve seen is ‘The Duck’ by Riedel), but basically the premise is the same—the more wine exposed to air, the better. Generally speaking these decanters are not decorative, but for a wine lover, it’s a tool used as frequently as the wine opener itself.
Try it Out!
Give decanting a try. Take your favorite red wine, pour it into a decanter, and let it breathe a little bit and stand for a while and then pour yourself a glass. See how the wine changes and develops with the oxygenation that the decanter provides. It’s fun, and a great way to try new techniques for drinking wine. Some restaurants automatically decant every bottle of red wine they serve—and after you try it, you may too!
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