Wine Decanters Are An Elegant Touch To Your Dinner Table

When wine decanters first originated it was out of necessity more than by choice.Today most people consider the wine decanter as a chic and classy way to serve wine. However, this wasn't always the case.

See our complete selection of wine gifts

Most ancient civilizations drank some form and wine, and like today this wine was make in large batches and placed into wine barrels or casks to age. Once the wine aged, there was not bottling plant that took the wine from the decanters and placed into bottles to be purchased from your grocers shelves. The wine went right from the casks to the dining table.

Obviously the wine casks were too large to bring to the table so some type of container was needed to transfer enough wine from the cask to the table. Thus the decanter was born. These decanters were made of earthenware, copper, silver, or gold. It was the Roman's who first introduced the glass wine decanter.

wine decanters

Early decanters, did not have stoppers. While this allowed the wine to breath producing a more aromatic flavor it also left the wine exposed to the air for long periods of time which reduced the flavor. It wasn't until the 1700 that the British came up with the idea of designing stoppers to go into the top of the containers to hold keep most of the wine flavor into the wine.

Today they are used by those who truly love wine. Not only does wine look better served from an attractive decanter but, it also results in your wine actually tasting better. As most wine connoisseurs know, to get the full bodied taste from a bottle of wine the wine needs to breathe, which is the term for allowing the wine some oxygen before serving. Luigi Bormioli Esperienze Crystal-Glass 88-Ounce Decanter is a beautifully shaped one. It really does make a difference in taste when you decant your wines.

That is why most wine decanters are much wider at the base and then narrow at the top. This design allows the oxygen to circulate allowing the wine to breathe properly.

However, that doesn't mean that your decanter has to be boring. Far from it. There are various designs of decanters made from various materials. There are even sets that have wine glasses that match the decanter giving an overall sense of sophistication to your wine drinking experience.

Wine decanters can come in square shapes, ovals and globe shapes and even one type of decanter resembles a duck! Some are simple and elegant some have sophisticated diamond cut or other designs, and some are truly unique in both shape and design. While the number of choices makes choosing a decanter seem overwhelming at times it also means that you can choose a decanter that appeals to individual sense of style.

Choosing to use a decanter when serving wine to your family and guest is not only a way to show that you have good taste but, also a way to serve more tasteful wine. But there are a few things you should consider when selecting that wine decanter.

* Ease of cleaning. While some of the more uniquely shaped and are indeed eye catching and aesthetically appealing they can also be difficult to clean. If you serve wine on a regular basis you might want to choose a little simpler design that is easier to clean.

* You want a decanter that allows your wine to breathe. While some of those thin narrow test tube shaped decanters are quite handsome that limit the amount of oxygen your wine actually gets. When there are so many decanter styles that are both graceful and provide breathing room for you wine don't be fooled by cute styles that are not going to enhance the taste of your wine.

* Price. It doesn't have to be expensive to look stylish so keep your budget in mind when shopping for a decanter.

Now pour that wine into your new decanter and enjoy with your favorite friend ;-)

Cheers

california wine gifts

Return to Gifts For Wine Lovers from wine decanters