The History And Function Of The Decanter
Author: artmaraut13 // Category: Wine Spirits ArticlesYou may have seen a wine decanter at one of your friend’s tables while you were visiting for supper or you spotted one on the shelf at the store and wondered what the function is of these beautiful glass vessels. While they are beautiful and fun to take a look at they have got a purpose which dates back to the ancient Roman History when red wine was the most popular drink of the day.
Originally decanters were made of glass that the Roman Empire forged and they served as a excellent technique of pouring wine at the table which was normally kept in large containers. The Ancients were the first to notice that red wine tasted better when served from these crude decanters which would eventually be discovered to be the process of aeration. After the decline of the Roman Empire wine decanters were mostly built from metal such as brass and silver as the art of glass making was briefly lost. Once the process was rediscovered the stopper was introduced in the mid 15th Century to prevent too much exposure to oxygen after the wine had been completely aerated.
The Twin Point of the Wine Decanter
Decanters serve multiple functions in the wine presentation process. The 1st and original function was to split pulp from the wine which was extremely commonplace in the beginning of wine making. This is not very common today as the wine making process has evolved but is still helpful occasionally when you get a bottle that was poured off the bottom pulp. Thanks to the bigger circumference of the wine decanter the more heavy sediment has an easier time settling to the bottom and away from your pour. The other function of the wine decanter is to oxygenate the wine which is the method of adding oxygen to a younger or harsher wine. Aeration is most typical with stronger wines with loads of tannins such as a Bordeaux or Merlot and is not recommended for more delicate wines like a Claret.
Wine decanters come in a large selection of styles and sizes and the styles are as unique as much as your inspiration will permit. The most typical styles are barrel wine decanters, shaft and plug wine decanters and duck wine aerators. All decanters are built to hold at least a 750ml bottle of wine and often the broader the decanter then the more volume the wine has to oxygenate which ends up in faster aeration.
Fancy Wine Decanter
We recommend that you use your own class and taste to pick out a wine decanter. There isn’t any magical formula and most wine aerators will serve the function they were intended for. As with all things concerning wine your personal preference is always the most important aspect in picking out your decanter.
James Warneck is CEO and wine enthusiast at Wine Buff Warehouse, the Internet’s leading seller of wine decanters and wine accessories. For more ideas on wine enjoyment and history or to go shopping for your special wino, visit their ecommerce site www.winebuffwarehouse.com
