Up until recently, I never thought about owning a decanter and actually using it. Patrick and I got into a discussion about them and both decided it is a total lifestyle. I love decorative decanters, and have a few of them, but it's hard to imagine a functional decanter becoming part of our lifestyle. I have contemplated registering for one, there are so many gorgeous wine decanters on the market, but who really uses them? Hugh Hefner? Robin Leach? Below are some of my favorite picks from the modern (and some re-issued) world of crystal decanters.
The Ambassador decanters designed by Oswald Haerdtl in 1925 are such modern and elegant shapes.
(l-r) Thomas O'Brien's Cynthia decanter has a beautiful feminine shape with vertical chiseled cuts. I love the masculinity of Ted Muehling's Tortoise decanter.
The first thing I thought of when I saw these decanters by William Yeoward was a lollipop.
Although the Eveline decanter is a modern design by William Yeoward, it is extremely rare to find hand cut star shapes as such on vintage glass decanters.
(l-r) I love this trio of Rosenthal decanters, the stoppers are some of my favorites. This last decanter is a classic shape (yet again) by William Yeoward. I can't help but mention him when posting about crystal as he has some of my favorite designs out there right now.
Sunday, November 18, 2007
The Decanter Lifestyle
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A bit about the history of decanters: Modern winemaking (and marketing) has eliminated almost all the little floaties commonly found in wine. Bits of debris, sediment, small pieces of cork, even the occasional stem, or leaf would find it's way into a bottle of wine. Modern filtration has all but eliminated that stuff.
Back in the day, when one would open and pour a bottle of wine the shape and color of the wine bottle made it difficult to keep the wine separate from the particles. Thus a decanter was used. The wide bottom, and clear glass would let you see what you were pouring, so you could enjoy a nice glass of wine.
In addition, the wine could 'breathe' in the larger more open decanter, opening up the flavors and enhancing the taste.
Before I was a photographer I was a Biochemist, and while taking classes, I followed the path to become an enologist...
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