The Auswine Forum

OK, so wines (especially young reds) need some air, so we decant.

Does it make a difference with regard to decanting in, say an ordinary jug vs a specialist wine decanter? Is the shape of the decanter important? Why?

If I just want 1 glass, can I simply sit the wine in the glass for a while (and leave the remainder in bottle and sealed again with a vacuum seal?

Looking at buying a decanter, and as usual, there are some silly prices out there. As with glasses, I believe its the shape more than anything else, so cheap, thicker glass and crystal, thinner glass the same shape will not yield drastically different results. Am I wrong?

I'm sure there is something to the classic decanter shape with it's large surface area and whatnot but I often just use a more regularly shaped whisky decanter which with a bit of sploshing, seems to work OK... And it's a whole lot easier to clean and dry than the classic shapes.

Yes shape is definitely the main thing. The two factors for decanting are aerating (breathing) and sediment collecting. The more surface area there is, the better for breathing (so wide or long base is good). The sediment thing to me is not so important but I do believe the duck shaped decanters work quite well in that respect. However the duck shaped are usually very highly priced also. I just use a good quality pourer/strainer if drinking very old wine.

I use a Bermioli decanter that has a very wide (traditional) base that looks and functions great. Think I paid about $90 or so on special.

Sam

Jugs work perfectly fine as decanters, or even glass beakers.

Yes if you just want one glass sitting some wine in glass and swishing it around will aerate it as well.

With regards to price of decanters, get one which is not too heavy, is easy to hold and pour from (imagine a full bottle of wine in it). Finer crystal/glass etc to me are just aesthetics, not necessary at all to the wine.

As long as the decanter exposes the wine to a good amount of air i.e. large surface area, I don't think that the shape really matters. After all, with glasses shape is very important (to me at least) to the aroma of the wine, but you are not drinking nor smelling from the decanter.

There are some good decanters with big surface area for aerating.

Where that is less important, I have some lab flasks, 1l and 2l for decanting. work a treat, cheap, hard to break, and conversation pieces for the uninitiated.

For sediment, get a funnel with a filter.

Cheers

Andrew

Hi Derek
I use a riedel duck decanter which I would highly recommend not for the quality but for the shape, as it has a large surface area.
Recently my sister in-law came for dinner and took one look at the duck decanter and said what’s with the hospital piss bottle? Referring to my riedel decanter, I just can’t look at it the same way anymore.
Regards
Trev

Hi Derek,

Like everyone's suggesting, I think the importance of the shape is largely to do with aeration... not for aromas etc like in glasses...

Another thing I'd like to add is that cheap thick clunky decanters can be a real drag as they don't pour nearly as nicely as a thin rim of glass does... and we don't want to waste any of that wine do we?!

I've got a David Jones homewares brand decanter that aerates well, pours well, and looks great. The best bit is that it looks way more posh than the $35 it cost me... works for me.

cheers!
Tim

I have a two views on this:

1. Every day use: Just get your hands on a cheap decanter / carafe / vase that is a decent shape. These are generally pretty cheap (think junk shops...under $15!!) and if you break them it doesnt matter. Great when you have kids around, clumsy mates or want to chuck it in the dishwasher

2. Good / expensive decanters: Decanters are there to serve a purpose...not to be the masterpiece. Why spend $400+ on a decanter when you can get something just as practical for a 1/4 of the cost. Spend the extra $300 on the wine. Yes I understand some are better than others but your "classic" shaped decanter is really the most versatile, easiest to clean, best priced and most widely available.

3. Cheap or Free: If all you are looking for is to introduce some air, just pour the wine from one wine bottle to another clean bottle, its free and slows down the oxidization while allowing the wine to "open" as the wine is exposed to air for a shorter burst than sitting in a huge decanter. This can be an advantage for old bottles. If you need to get the sediments out, use coffee filter paper or similar..that will sort out the floaties.

Anyway food for thought....im off to decant my wine a in a carafe!!

Some time back I invested in one of those funnels complete with sieve insert which takes the art, skill and candles out of decanting off sediment but is so much more practical and makes double decanting a lot easier. This also is designed to aerate slightly I think, from memory, the funnel drizzles the wine through at a slight angle. Not very expensive and a very useful accoutrement.

Wayno wrote:Some time back I invested in one of those funnels complete with sieve insert which takes the art, skill and candles out of decanting off sediment but is so much more practical and makes double decanting a lot easier. This also is designed to aerate slightly I think, from memory, the funnel drizzles the wine through at a slight angle. Not very expensive and a very useful accoutrement.

I bought one from Victorias Basement very cheaply. Stainless steel with a washable s/s filter. Great for sediment and good aeration.
Mike.

Wizz wrote:There are some good decanters with big surface area for aerating.

Where that is less important, I have some lab flasks, 1l and 2l for decanting. work a treat, cheap, hard to break, and conversation pieces for the uninitiated.

I actually used a 1 litre glass lab beaker as the ideal tool for the double decant - easy to clean, etc,. but I broke it a couple of months ago.

The only thing I think about decanters and aeration concerns wide-bottomed flasks of any kind. Once you get near the end, there tends to be very little wine spread very thinly over a large surface, and I sometimes find it oxidises quite quickly.
For that reason, I decided my preferred shape is the Zerutti 'turn' decanter. This has a diamond-shaped cross section and sits in a little stand - or rolls around the table, if you prefer. A 750ml bottle fills it to the widest point, for maximum aeration. As the wine is consumed, the surface area shrinks as well (assuming you're using the stand).
Good system.
cheers,
Graeme

The critical thing for me is how well it pours. Decanters can be like tea pots - some pour really well others spill it everywhere no matter how hard you try. The better the wine the less I care about the decanters look the more I want every drop to go where I intend it to. My usual is a water jug - I have no memory of where I got it, I'm sure it was cheap but it pours perfectly.

I have to agree with DJ on the pouring issue. i have the most beautiful riedel decanter that i was given, but whenever i pour from it, it's a battle to get it all in the glass and not all over the floor.

I also have a Zerutti and i tend to use this more often just because the mess risk is less, but it needs a serious clean and it's a bit difficult. I need to buy a brush i think

Scanlon, use hot water and sodium bicarbonate. Put a few teaspoons into decanter, pour a cup of hot water in, swish it, leave for a few hours, then rinse.

Scanlon wrote:... but it needs a serious clean and it's a bit difficult. I need to buy a brush i think

I get the denture cleaning tablets from Coles. They used to be called Performa brand but now Coles. Just as good as the Sterident brand at half the cost.

No rubbing or scrubbing.

Graham

I poor white vinegar in the decanter straight after use (or the morning if a big night). I used to use bicarb with vinegar but found it left a slimy residue if not rinsed out extremely well. The straight vinegar I found is full proof and very easy to rinse. If you have stubborn stains from past misuse, just use a baby bottle cleaning brush (or equivalent) with vinegar.

I'm sure there's an optimum surface area to volume ratio but really the amount of difference it will make is minimal. Decanters tend to be mostly about aesthetic concerns.

I read somewhere that Max Schubert used to pour Grange from the bottle into a jug, rinse the bottle and pour it back into the bottle and then drink. I have tried this with various wines over the years including 1997 Wendouree Pressings, 1995 Magill Estate Shiraz, 1992 Grant Burge Meshach and a 1992 D'arenberg and they all tasted superb.

rednut wrote:I read somewhere that Max Schubert used to pour Grange from the bottle into a jug, rinse the bottle and pour it back into the bottle and then drink. I have tried this with various wines over the years including 1997 Wendouree Pressings, 1995 Magill Estate Shiraz, 1992 Grant Burge Meshach and a 1992 D'arenberg and they all tasted superb.

That's a "double-decant" as I know it. Seems to work fine, and you get the bottle to drink from, with the label, and back-label details, etc.

Much more fun than an anonymous decanterful. Label drinking ahoy!

I just use a jug, I'm pretty lazy and I just want something I can chuck in the dishwasher and have no issues. Works well and seems to work as well as any decanter I've used.