If you’re looking for ways to elevate your wine drinking experience at home, the decanter is a pretty good place to start (assuming you’ve already gotten a few choice bits of stemware in order).
As much of a practical aid as it is an aesthetic pleasure, the ideal wine decanter should combine effective aeration with ease of use, decently portioned volume and – all else being equal – a charming design. Here then are a shortlist of wine decanters that get B.H.’s stamp of approval.
Some will be better-suited to certain pours, whether that’s a cool glass of Chardonnay or big, bruising Bordeaux blend, but rest assured: each has a role to play in the enthusiast’s arsenal.
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Rabbit Glass Decanter & Wood Base
SPECIFICATIONS
- Includes ‘micro-perforated’ strainer
- Wood base (ash) with brass-tone accents
- 2,400ml capacity
- Made in China
One of a few wine decanters we’ve opted to include that comes with accessories, this Rabbit decanter is presented on a wood-and-metal base for bonus aesthetic points.
The glass of the decanter itself is fashioned from machine-made lead-free crystal, but handcraft is hardly the reason you’ll buy an RBT. Instead of a conventional stopper, this decanter’s variation includes a strainer with small perforations – fine enough to catch sediment and rogue pieces of cork debris.
This detail, in particular, makes the RBT decanter an optimal choice when serving wines that are in less than optimal bottle-condition. Plus, the shower-shaped funnel creates a waterfall effect whenever you’re pouring – useful for aeration (and entertainment).
Zalto Axium Decanter
SPECIFICATIONS
- Made using 100% lead-free crystal
- 1,450ml capacity
- Made in Austria
Pretty much the only acceptable brand of decanter for weapons-grade wine nerds, Zalto actually makes two variations on a similar design – both of which prioritise function over form. The Axium is the smaller of these.
The Axium is handblown in the Austrian village of Neu Nagelberg, using techniques derived from historical Venetian glassmaking. Much like every Zalto wine glass, the result is a featherlight vessel that is (almost unsettingly) thin – allowing drinkers superior clarity and handling.
In an effort to be balanced, what we will say is that the Axium isn’t the most eye-catching of our chosen wine decanters. Aside from its chiseled sides and vaguely hexagonal shape, this is an otherwise conventional design.
The upside? If you’re looking to aerate medium-bodied red wine, or basically any white varietals, this decanter is the ultimate one-time purchase.
Riedel ‘Wine Friendly’ Decanter
SPECIFICATIONS
- Machine-made using lead-free crystal
- 1,320ml capacity
- Made in Germany
Sitting at the opposite end of the spectrum to a Riedel heavyweight like the ‘Amadeo’ (see below) is this ‘Wine Friendly’ decanter. Part of the German brand’s beginner-friendly glass range, it is sized for storage in most domestic refrigerators.
Somewhat akin to an amphora in shape, the ‘Wine Friendly’ offers great ease of pouring, with a short neck and base you’re able to comfortably grip with both hands. Its 750ml capacity (i.e. a standard-size wine bottle) also enables it to be used as a water carafe.
True to the ‘Wine Friendly’ collection’s original ethos of function and versatility – in space-challenged situations – this decanter is also the most affordable inclusion on our list.
Plumm Flinders Decanter
SPECIFICATIONS
- 100% lead-free crystal
- 1,000ml capacity
- Made in Europe
If you’ve visited a restaurant in Australia over the past four years or so, chances are, you’ll recognise Plumm. The Melbourne-based glassware outfit crafts a range of differently shaped and sized decanters – of which our favourite is the ‘Flinders’.
Named for the buzzy Melbourne street housing such gilded eateries as NOMAD and Supernormal, the defining trait of the ‘Flinders’ is its chemistry set-esque shape. Mouthblown with a tapering trapezoidal base and elongated neck, Plumm’s designers assert that this decanter is best-suited to the whole spectrum of red wines – ranging from blustery Australian Shiraz to old Bordeaux blends.
It’s also made with an ingenious two-inch divot: precisely the kind of feature appreciated by industry professionals, thanks to its ability to improve one-handed pours.
Schott Zwiesel Classico Decanter
SPECIFICATIONS
- Proprietary Tritan® crystal glass
- 750ml capacity
- Made in Germany
Aptly nicknamed the ‘Entertainer’, this Classico decanter from Schott Zwiesel is a versatile all-rounder: great for divvying out medium to full-bodied red wines amongst groups of two to six people.
Schott’s patented ‘Tritan’ crystal makes this decanter a particularly good choice for home use. Its glass construction is shatter-resistant, and strong enough to withstand the pressure of your average household dishwasher.
Granted, the overall design isn’t going to be winning any awards at the Salone del Mobile; but the Classico’s long, hourglass-shaped neck allows for clean, unfussy pouring. And all for under $100 – what’s not to like?
ETO Decanter & Wine Preserver
SPECIFICATIONS
- Patented design “protects wine from air”
- Sold with dual-purpose pouch & cleaning cloth
- Made from borosilicate glass
- 625ml capacity
Like RBT’s decanter with its handsome wooden base, the Eto “wine preservation system” separates itself from the competition by looking beyond the proverbial glass.
What at first appears to be a fairly standard funnel-neck vessel is topped with a detachable seal: akin to what you might find, in the world of specialty coffee, with the Aeropress.
This system (pioneered by British industrial designer Tom Cotton) reportedly helps to combat the oxidation in wine for up to two weeks, thus turning the Eto from a decanter into a wine-saver. It’s also thoughtfully sized, fitting into most fridge doors.
Georg Jensen WINE & BAR Carafe
SPECIFICATIONS
- Designed by Thomas Sandell
- Comes with steel and silicone stopper
- 1,300ml capacity
If you’re looking to bring your obsession for refined Scandi design into the realm of homewares, this decanter – by Georg Jensen – has your name written all over it. (Well, not literally.)
Conceived by KTH industrial designer Thomas Sandell, the ‘WINE & BAR’ combines an elegant organic shape with helpful practical detailing: such as a dimple for ease of pouring, and a silicone-backed stopper.
Riedel Amadeo ‘Fatto A Mano’ Decanter
SPECIFICATIONS
- “Optical blown” crystal
- Comes in multiple colourways
- 750ml capacity
Notwithstanding the inclusion from Georg Jensen, Riedel’s Amadeo decanter definitely snags our award for “most visually interesting design.”
First launched in 2006 – and named for legendary Austrian composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozard – the Amadeo has since become a frequent sight in hatted restaurants, wine bars, and homes of the conspicuously well-heeled.
The big selling point? The unique, lyre-like shape of the glass: which facilitates gentle, continuous aeration and “pours like a dream.”
Riedel’s ingenious modern production processes have also enabled the brand to spin the Amadeo off into a range of differently coloured variations. We love the slightly dressy look of the ‘Fatto a Mano’ – accented with a black and white strip along the decanter’s interior curvature.
Eva Solo ‘Cool Wine’ Decanter
SPECIFICATIONS
- Lead-free crystal construction
- Includes gel-filled plastic base
- 750ml capacity
Since 1949, Danish design firm Eva Solo has been crafting enviably sleek home goods in the consummate Scandi style. Its ‘Cool Wine’ decanter – no points for guessing the inspiration of that moniker – is a unique addition to our list: as the only serving vessel purpose-built to keep your wine chilled and within easy reach.
Predictably, the lightbulb shape of the bowl works best for light to medium-bodied white wines. The bigger innovation, however, is the plastic ‘cradle’ used to hold your decanter.
This accessory is filled with sodium polyacrylate: a superabsorbent polymer that stays cold for hours and as such, a really nifty gadget for wine snobs in the summer.
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