decanters
Wine Decanters: Elegant Work Horses
Wine decanters make wonderful gifts and, some might say, important pieces to have in your home. Especially for connoisseurs, they perform a more important function than just providing something more elegant to pour your house bottle from than the bottle. For red wine drinkers they help to aerate a younger Cabernet Sauvignon or Pinot Noir. Just pouring from bottle to decanter opens-up flavors which might have otherwise taken hours on your kitchen counter or months in a cellar.
These vessels are available in several shapes and volumes on-line or at good kitchen and glass ware shops. Among these consumers might be tempted by a novelty piece. These often sport handles and tip over like a chicken pecking at corn. Another popular shape is the swan, resting on its stomach, neck long and narrow, head reaching out for your glass. Look also for the very long, flute-like decanters which require a lot of space behind you when preparing to pour.
Wine Decanting 101
Wine decanting is a ritual in its own right. Many people are finding serving wine after the decanting process a delightful process that enchants their guests. In a nutshell, decanting wine means basically transferring the wine from its original bottle to a container, called a decanter, prior to serving it in the guests glasses. One of the main reasons for doing this is to avoid any sediments and deposits ending in the glasses.
Decanting is usually done with red wine. White white is served chilled, so it doesn’t need decanting. The traditional decanter is one with a narrow neck and large base made of clear glass, for allowing pouring of the wine easily. Also this enhances the aeration process so that the taste is full bodied and with the best aroma in the mouth.