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Wine Decanters

post #1 of 44
2/26/08 at 7:57am
Thread Starter 
I'd like to get one for my girlfriend. Does anyone have some general insights (less from an aesthetic and more from a functional / performance perspective)?

tall and thin vs short and fat?
does crystal vs glass matter?
Do I need a stopper, a sieve, or a thumb pouring thingy?
Assuming two almost identical shapes, what is the benefit in going with the £200 Riedel? Does it look that much better? Will the wine taste that much better?

Thanks in advance!

K
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post #2 of 44
2/26/08 at 9:11am
Quote:
Originally Posted by VKK3450 View Post
I'd like to get one for my girlfriend. Does anyone have some general insights (less from an aesthetic and more from a functional / performance perspective)?

tall and thin vs short and fat?
does crystal vs glass matter?
Do I need a stopper, a sieve, or a thumb pouring thingy?
Assuming two almost identical shapes, what is the benefit in going with the £200 Riedel? Does it look that much better? Will the wine taste that much better?

Thanks in advance!

K
I'd say short and fat, no frills, crystal looks better, no effect on taste from material (form dictates the surface available for wine to meet air), Riedel has some nice designs and a name you can show to friends ...
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post #3 of 44
2/26/08 at 10:59am
agree with the above poster but will add that the short and fat ones can be a bitch to pour from. I use the short fat ones for bigger wines that need more air to breath and less fat at other times because they're easier to use.

again I agree with above poster in that there's no need to splurge on a decanter. better to spend the $$ on glasses or better still the wine itself
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post #4 of 44
2/26/08 at 11:00am
Ravenscroft makes some nice ones that are not as pricey as Riedel but of the same quality, in my estimation.
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post #5 of 44
2/26/08 at 11:46am
And a sieve would probably only be necessary if you were opening much older bottles that were likely to contain sediment. Most likely you don't need one, but if the added cost isn't much, it wouldn't hurt to be prepared.
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post #6 of 44
2/26/08 at 4:01pm
Thread Starter 
Thanks for the replies.

I hadn't even thought about short fat ones being harder to pour, but it's a good point. I was just looking from the perspective that they would give the greatest exposure to air, and look pretty cool.

I am not inclined to spend big bucks (over 200 pounds) on this as we would mainly use the decanter when friends are over, (dangerous situations for anything breakable in the area).

So maybe a good all-purpose would be something mid short fatnessish (wtf), plain crystal, at a price that I wont be paranoid when a "butterfingers" picks it up

K
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post #7 of 44
2/26/08 at 4:02pm
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/60083672



Hard to beat for 15 bucks. The filter helps aerate the wine on the way through, the main reason you decant. As the first reply said, the shape should maximize the surface area to encourage air contact.

Just tell everyone it is Riedel
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post #8 of 44
2/26/08 at 4:07pm
Heh, with my own personal aesthetics, I've always thought that the taller and smooth crystal ones looks better for wine whereas the squatter (especially square cut) ones look better with the "brown" liquor (scotches and whiskies, etc). Just a personal thought.
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post #9 of 44
2/26/08 at 4:18pm
I love the look and function of the wide decanters, but I have a tiny kitchen and storage is a problem. I ended up buying a nondescript Riedel decanter from Target for $20.
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post #10 of 44
2/26/08 at 4:19pm
I have a duck shape decanter from Reidel that is open at both ends (hard to explain). I paid way too much for it, and it looks ridiculous, but I love it.

Even with ancient bottles of wine, you should be able to trap most of the sediment in the shoulder of the bottle.

Port is another story.
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post #11 of 44
2/26/08 at 4:29pm
Thread Starter 
Woah!!

I cant see any justification for me to buy a Riedel for 200 quid when that is selling for 6.99

And it comes with a damn filter!

The problem is I cant give the gf a £7 carafe as a gift, so I need like 10 more things now!!!

K

Quote:
Originally Posted by Piobaire View Post
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/60083672



Hard to beat for 15 bucks. The filter helps aerate the wine on the way through, the main reason you decant. As the first reply said, the shape should maximize the surface area to encourage air contact.

Just tell everyone it is Riedel
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post #12 of 44
2/26/08 at 4:33pm
While working at a fine dining restaurant, we used decanters very much like the shape of the one posted above. I would prefer a little wider mouth on it, like he said, for $15 it's well worth it.
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post #13 of 44
2/26/08 at 5:52pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Piobaire View Post
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/60083672



Hard to beat for 15 bucks. The filter helps aerate the wine on the way through, the main reason you decant. As the first reply said, the shape should maximize the surface area to encourage air contact.

Just tell everyone it is Riedel

I really like this. I may have to go buy 1 (or 2).
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post #14 of 44
2/26/08 at 5:53pm
I am not sure it is true but I have heard that crystal seeps led into liquor.
I like Karim Rashid decanter or Iitalla

I would certainly avoid anything sold at Ikea (that Scandinavian WallMart).
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post #15 of 44
2/26/08 at 7:50pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Manton View Post
I have a duck shape decanter from Reidel that is open at both ends (hard to explain). I paid way too much for it, and it looks ridiculous, but I love it.

Even with ancient bottles of wine, you should be able to trap most of the sediment in the shoulder of the bottle.

Port is another story.


I love the Reidel Duck. and I have over thirty Reidels, a third of which are Sommeliers. However, I spend too much money on stuff to put in it, therefore, I bought this from Pottery Barn for < 30USD, an order of magnitude cheaper than the Reidel.

http://www.potterybarn.com/products--p7590--index.shtml

~ Huntsman
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