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Decanter recommendations

MonkeyK

MonkeyK

New Member
Joined
Dec 28, 2003
Messages
578
Location
Minneapolis, MN
OK, I've had several wines lately that taste better the second night than the first. I rarely have the foresight to open the bottle in the morning (which is made worse by rarely knowing what I will be cooking for dinner in the evening).

I was thinking that a decanter should help with this problem, but I know very little about them. Does anyone know of any features that I should be looking for or avoiding?

Some things that I think:
flatter base is better (less likely to tip).
handles are not important.

but that's about it.
 
In general I've found a number of decanters made just for wine are much thinner walled and lighter then ones made for spirits. Why I have no idea and since the hole is the same size I can't say that it matters. I buy mine on looks because they are used as decoration 99.9% of the time when they don't have something in them.
 
Keep in mind that if you choose a lead crystal decanter, it is recommended that you not use it for long term storage as lead may leach into your spirit. The higher the alcohol content of the liquid and the length of time stored will increase the amount of lead that will leach into the liquid.

Here are a couple of interesting articles from the National Safety Council and from Health Canada.


http://www.nsc.org/issues/lead/leadindishes.htm

http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/iyh-vsv/prod/crystal_e.html
 
We have a decanter that is a Spiegelau. It's kind of Erlenmeyer flask shaped but with an even wider base. My understanding of decanting is to allow maximum air contact with the wine, so the wider base is a must. I have seen some decanters that have a strainer piece that fits in the neck which I think would be nice to strain out any misc bits of cork or solids that have developed in the wine.

Other than a wide base and maybe a strainer I think the rest of the decanter design is personal preference.
 
It sounds like you are looking for a decanter that will allow you the maximum amount of air contact in the shortest amount of time. That sounds like what bmd34202 is talking about, something like the Riedel Ultra Decanter which is the one I use. I haven't had the need for the strainer since the decanter does a good job of capturing the sediment, as long as you don't try and pour the final 1-2 ounces.

If it's an emergency you can always use the double decanting method using another empty wine bottle. Simply pour the contents from one bottle to the other a few times to aerate the wine.

:cool:
 
Thanks for the tips. Sounds like there are not many secrets to decanters. I'm thinking that I'll get this onethe pointy tip looks like it might pour a little better.

Ralph, there's not much risk of long term storage with the wines that I am drinking. Plus the lead crystal seems to add quite a bit to the price.

NorCal, the emergency decanting is a great tip, I don't know why I didn't think of that...
 
Yes, please do let us know how it works out. I am thinking about purchasing a decanter for the same reason that you are.
 
MonkeyK said:
Thanks for the tips. Sounds like there are not many secrets to decanters. I'm thinking that I'll get this onethe pointy tip looks like it might pour a little better.

Ralph, there's not much risk of long term storage with the wines that I am drinking. Plus the lead crystal seems to add quite a bit to the price.

NorCal, the emergency decanting is a great tip, I don't know why I didn't think of that...
Click to expand...

Yeah, wine would go bad before the lead leaching became a problem. It's the Scotches/Bourbons and any higher proof booze you would have to worry about.
 
You'd have to keep all your booze in lead crystal for years before it would be a problem. You breathe more lead in from exhaust then you'll get from scotch stored for 10 years in a decanter.

The problem with lead in the past was almost everything had lead in it. Plates, bowls, cups, makeup etc etc. That level of exposure is entirely too much.

Ralph said:
Yeah, wine would go bad before the lead leaching became a problem. It's the Scotches/Bourbons and any higher proof booze you would have to worry about.
Click to expand...
 
A study conducted at Columbia University has shown that lead was leached from lead crystal decanters and baby bottles into the beverages that they hold. Acids, such as those present in tomato juice and fruit juices, speed up the release of lead from the crystal. Results of the study indicate that the lead content of one liquid tripled after just four hours in a lead crystal container. Apple juice stored in a lead crystal baby bottle increased more than a hundred times after four hours. The lead content of infant formula also greatly increased after just 15 minutes in a lead crystal baby bottle.


Although I'm not an alarmist, (as I smoke drink etc.), and I'm not trying to piss in anyone's Cheerios, but I've decided with the help of my PharmD wife, that some risk is there and I don't want to take it. We still decant a bottle of wine for a party but if anything is left over, it goes back in the original bottle. (I don't know who is vain or crazy enough to have a lead crystal baby bottle.) I'm just showing what facts helped me make my personal choice. That's what America is about. Personal choice.

Here is an excerpt from the results of the Columbia study.

Graziano’s initial investigation was prompted by a question posed by Blum concerning the possibility of lead migrating from the crystal into the beverage. Although Graziano thought it unlikely, Blum’s home tests were sufficiently convincing that these two researchers set up a full-blown laboratory test of this possibility. Their results, which were published in Lancet and reported in Science News, are nothing short of startling.

Blum supplied three lead crystal decanters from home. They cleansed each thoroughly and filled them with port wine. After two days they began a systematic series of measurements of the lead content of the liquid. The first measurement indicated a lead content of 89 micrograms per litre (µg/l). Four months later, lead levels jumped from between 2,160 mg to 5,330 micrograms per liter. By comparison, the EPA lead standard for drinking water is 50 µg/l, and the EPA is seriously considering lowering this to 20 µg/l.

That was enough for me. Lead build-up is cumulative and it is stored in bones and released as we age.

Edited for spelling.
 
You are correct with that study from 1991. To the best of my knowldge, a good portion of food/liquid contact lead crystal has been coated for the last 10 years to prevent leaching. Not all by any means but I know it is being done. To each his own I guess.
 
Send me your lead based Riedel stemware :laugh:

But seriously folks, for our daily use we go with Spiegelau stemware as well.

We still decant a bottle of wine for a party but if anything is left over, it goes back in the original bottle.
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In our house at a party, if it's in the decanter it usually ends up finished. If not, then it wasn't very good in the first place and will usually get dumped by the end of the evening.

:cool:
 
I received a reply to my letter asking about their suggestions thoughts on our talk about lead crystal.

===============
Dear Mr. Summa:

We are very pleased to hear that you are enjoying your Riedel Single Malt Whiskey glasses, and hope that you will continue to do so.

The study by Dr. Graziano has caused considerable concern among consumers since it was published -- in our view, some of it warranted, and some not. You are correct that he found that port left in a lead crystal decanter over four days had a lead content of 89 micrograms per liter, almost double EPA's limit for lead in water of 50 micrograms per liter. But when you consider that the EPA limit is set at a very low level (because water in various forms is such a large part of the diet) and that you are far more likely to drink a liter of water at one time than a liter of port, the 89 microgram number after four days of storage does not seem very high -- particularly considering that experts estimate that people are exposed to an average of 200 micrograms of lead every day from their diets alone. So the amount of lead that might be ingested from using lead crystal to serve beverages is actually quite small.

The valid point that Dr. Graziano's study does make, however, is that storing alcoholic beverages in lead crystal decanters for weeks or months (rather than a day or two) can cause fairly high amounts of lead to concentrate in the beverage. While one could debate whether consumers are actually subjected to such exposures in the real world (since they tend to drink the stored beverage, rather than let it sit for such a long time), Riedel recommends against using lead crystal decanters for long-term storage. None of our decanter lines are really suited for this purpose, though; they are designed for decanting and serving wine on one occasion.

Riedel products are not made with a "protective coating". Such coatings are not necessary, because as a member of the International Crystal Federation ("ICF"), Riedel subscribes to the International Standards Organization's strict standards for lead release (ISO 7086). However, we also recommend that consumers prepare their new crystal for first use by filling the glassware with a 50/50 mixture of water and vinegar (or lemon juice), leaving the solution for four hours or so (or overnight, if that is convenient), and then emptying and rinsing. This treatment not only removes any residue from production, shipping or storage, but also reduces the leaching potential of the glass even further by removing lead from the interior surface of the glass.

Finally, you might be interested to know that Riedel's "Ouverture," "Wine," "Basic" and "O" collections are unleaded. If the lead issue still concerns you after this explanation, we invite you to purchase glasses from one of our unleaded lines.


Sincerely,

Riedel Crystal of America
 
Finally, you might be interested to know that Riedel's "Ouverture," "Wine," "Basic" and "O" collections are unleaded. If the lead issue still concerns you after this explanation, we invite you to purchase glasses from one of our unleaded lines.
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I'm breaking out the Riedels tonight! :laugh:

Thanks for sharing the info Ralph.

:cool:
 
OH well, gave up cigs so lead could get me. My 50th birthday scotch has been in a crystal decanter for 8 years already and is only half gone. :laugh:
 
NorCalCigarLover said:
Finally, you might be interested to know that Riedel's "Ouverture," "Wine," "Basic" and "O" collections are unleaded. If the lead issue still concerns you after this explanation, we invite you to purchase glasses from one of our unleaded lines.
Click to expand...

I'm breaking out the Riedels tonight! :laugh:

Thanks for sharing the info Ralph.

:cool:
Click to expand...


Me too!

My pleasure.
 
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