Wine is a drink everyone enjoys pre or post meals. It can be enjoyed by one and all irrespective of the sex or age. A decanter is a must have for all wine drinkers. It is designed to hold any drink/liquid that has sediments. Primarily used to serve liquid, decanters can hold at least 0.75 liters of that liquid. They come in various designs, shapes and sizes. They are made of different materials which have to be inert such as glass. These decanters are also provided with stoppers to control the flow of the liquid.
Wine serving can be considered an art. It gives immense pleasure to watch wine being poured into glass irrespective of it being white or red. Decanters play a significant role in serving wine. They make serving wine look so simple. The ancient Romans had started serving wine in glasses. They were so designed that they could be easily served by one lone servant. Glass being inert does not react with the wine. If a metal or the material, with which wine decanters are made, mix with the wine they create a nasty taste and at times can prove dangerous too. Hence it was and is always recommended that decanters be made of neutral material.
Pictured: 28 ounce Cognac or Rum Decanter
After the fall of the Roman Empire the decanters were being made out of bronze, silver, gold or earthenware. This was because production of glass had been affected since Romans had pioneered the production of glass. Later on the Venetians had begun to use glass and redesigned decanters with long, sleek and curvy necks that opened into the reservoirs that had wide bodies. This enabled wine to react with air and prevented it from spilling. The British later on introduced the stoppers that ensured there was no spilling and that the wine did not react with air. The stoppers also controlled the flow of wine into the glass. Thereafter the designs have barely undergone any major changes. Decanters can also be used to serve whiskey, scotch, rum, cognac, vodka, malt whiskeys, liquor, single malt etc.
Pictured: Weinland Spirits Decanter
Fancy decanters add to the show when expensive drinks are stored in them. Colored glasses used for making decanters too look very pretty when the decanters are full. Decanters primarily separate the main liquid from sediments so what is finally served is clear and pure liquid that is free of any residue. The sediments may be due to wine being old or not filtered. Decanters also allow the wine to breathe which means enables introduction of air to the wine to stimulate the movement of wine molecules that enable the aroma to spread.
