15 Best Wine Decanter Options for Wine Night This 2022

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Kaye Modified: August 8, 2022
15 Best Wine Decanter Options for Wine Night This 2022

Sometimes misspelled as “decantor,” a decanter or wine carafe is an essential piece of equipment that every wine lover should have – alongside the best wine opener, pourer, and other accessories. Decanting, for those who don’t know, is when you slowly pour liquid into a different container, so it follows that a decanter is something that you use to achieve just that. In the case of wine preparation, it is where you pour wine from the bottle before serving the liquid in individual glasses. Every sommelier or expert knows that you can enhance the flavor of full-bodied wines by aerating them through decanting.

So if you’re interested, continue reading to find out our top picks for the best wine decanter products to get this year. In the later section, you can read through a short guide regarding the factors to consider when choosing one as well. We’ve also answered some of the most frequently asked questions on the internet regarding wine decanters and decanting!

The Best Wine Decanter Options At A Glance

15 Best Wine Decanter Options This 2022

To select the products to feature on this list, we carefully considered key factors such as brand reputation, product specifications, as well as overall customer satisfaction. So for a more in-depth discussion of our top picks for the best wine decanters in the market, browse through this section.

Best Overall: Le Chateau Wine Decanter

What We Love

  • Lead-free
  • Standard capacity
  • Slanted spout
  • Easy to clean

What We Don't Love

  • Not very durable

Release the natural aroma of dry red wines like merlot, pinot noir, and cabernet with this alcohol decanter by the Le Chateau brand. Or if you want, this can also serve as a tasteful display or serving vessel for sweet wines. Regardless, this product takes the top spot on this list because it ticks all the right boxes — from aesthetics to functionality.

To start, it has a large bulbous bottom that can carry up to 32 fluid ounces, while leaving enough room for maximum aeration. On top, it has an elongated neck with a slanted spout for the most seamless pouring experience. It also has a crisp and luxurious appearance from being made with hand-blown lead-free crystal.

Best Budget-Friendly: Godinger Wine Decanter Carafe

What We Love

  • Sleek
  • Standard capacity
  • Slanted spout

What We Don't Love

  • May be too small for some

Nowadays, you can get all kinds of products offered at a cheaper price. Although sometimes, it may be at the expense of quality. That’s why we’re pleasantly surprised by this Godinger wine carafe that strikes the perfect balance between quality and value for money. 

Though it doesn’t cost as much as all the other products on this list, this wine decanter still looks and feels sleek. This comes as no surprise since it’s made of crystal. It also has a standard capacity of 32 fluid ounces, which is equivalent to a bottle of wine. What’s more, you won’t have to worry about inconsistencies in production because this product is produced by a silver and bakeware company that has been around since 1973. 

Best Crystal: YouYah Iceberg Wine Decanter Set

What We Love

  • Sleek
  • Easy to clean
  • Standard capacity
  • Comes with decanting accessories

What We Don't Love

  • Doesn’t come with an instruction manual

For a high-quality crystal wine decanter, the one included in this set is tough to beat. Not only is it made from lead-free crystal glass, but it also has a sleek design that’ll fit perfectly in a modern home bar. The base of this crystal glass decanter protrudes upward — seemingly resembling that of an iceberg, hence the name. 

This tasteful wine pitcher also comes with other accessories. And among the most important ones is the stopper made from food-grade stainless steel and silicone. It also comes with a built-in filter, as well as cleaning beads and a drying stand for easier cleanups. But what truly sets this crystal decanter apart from the rest is its specialized waterfall bottleneck feature that maximizes the wine’s exposure to air upon pouring.

Best Stainless Steel: Aged & Ore - Double Insulated Travel Decanter

What We Love

  • Portable
  • Multifunctional
  • Lightweight

What We Don't Love

  • Small capacity

For a more durable stainless steel wine flask, turn your attention towards this double insulated product produced by the Aged & Ore brand. It’s essentially a lightweight, double-wall insulated carafe with a glass decanter inside. This is protected by a detachable stainless steel container that can double as drinking tumblers, perfect for outdoors and traveling with drinks like fruity mulled wine

With a 17-fluid ounce capacity, it’s just right for personal consumption. Although, this may not be the most practical wine decanter to get for group gatherings. Its mouth is also wide enough, so you can put ice in your wine recipes if you wish.

Best Set: Paksh Novelty Italian Crafted Glass Decanter & Whisky Glasses Set

What We Love

  • Multifunctional
  • Comes with a stopper
  • Crafted using traditional glass-making methods

What We Don't Love

  • Stopper could be more secure
  • Not the best shape for aerating wine

Although this wine decanter set is primarily marketed for whiskey, you can very well use it for other types of alcoholic drinks like wine or even tequila cocktails. It’s multifunctional and also practical, which is why it takes the cake in our list’s best set category this 2022.

Every purchase of this carafe set comes with a traditionally crafted square decanter and six lowball glasses. And apart from being fully functional, each piece has an intricate and elegant starburst design which is well-suited for every setting. From casual home use to more formal occasions, you’ll be able to use this decanter and glass set.

Best With Aerator: S JUSTSTART Wine Decanter With Built-in Aerator Pourer

What We Love

  • Standard capacity
  • Lead-free
  • Slanted top

What We Don't Love

  • Doesn’t come with a stopper

This product is the best wine decanter with an aerator in the market because of its special built-in filter that doubles as an aerator. So every time you pour the wine in, not only will the sediments and impurities be separated from the liquid, the wine also fans out. The spread allows for maximum exposure to air. From the usual downtime of three to five hours, your wine will be ready in around five minutes thanks to this special wine decanter aerator.

Best With Stopper: Brew To A Tea Wine Decanter with Stopper

What We Love

  • Lead-free
  • Slanted top
  • Large capacity and surface area
  • Comes with a cleaning brush

What We Don't Love

  • Stopper is not airtight

While the primary function of decanters is for releasing the aroma and flavor of full-bodied wines through aeration, too much exposure to air also isn’t good for the quality of your vino. A wine decanter stopper would be helpful in this scenario, like the one that comes with this large-capacity Brew To A Tea carafe. In addition to being fully functional, its accompanying stopper is also made from glass, offering a sleek and classy appearance throughout.

Best Electric: Higfra Electric Wine Decanter

What We Love

  • Self-cleaning
  • Built-in filter and aerator
  • Rechargeable

What We Don't Love

  • Not very durable

Every wine enthusiast should have this electric contraption that functions as a universal wine aerator. With this in your arsenal, you won’t need a special ritual for decanting your full-bodied favorites. That’s because you can already achieve filtered and aerated wine with just a simple push of a button. Simply position this product at the mouth of your wine bottle, and it’ll do the job for you. And since this aerator has an airtight rubber seal, there’s no rush to finish your glass after each pour. Pouring wine has never been this efficient!

Best Unique: Le Sens Amazing Home Scorpion Wine Decanter

What We Love

  • Two design options
  • Large capacity
  • Two size options

What We Don't Love

  • No stopper

This unique wine decanter isn’t just for serving wine. Because of its dramatically curved shape, it can also serve as a show-stopping centerpiece for your kitchen or home bar! It also has a large capacity of approximately 34 fluid ounces, which is a little more than a standard bottle of wine. Hence, it has lots of room for aerating and pulling out the flavors from your spiced red wine punch and other alcoholic drinks.

Best Vintage: Bezrat Wine Decanter

What We Love

  • Standard capacity
  • Comes with a stopper

What We Don't Love

  • Glass is not as clear compared to other products

This Bezrat product has all the qualities that you’d want from a vintage decanter. Right off the bat, the crystal glass bottle has a traditional curved shape that is not only eye-catching but also promotes better airflow. Besides that, this carafe also comes with an accompanying glass stopper to seal the deal (and your vino). So despite its low price point, this is a worthy addition to any kind of home bar. 

Best Hand Blown: HiCoup Red Wine Decanter

What We Love

  • Large capacity
  • Lead-free
  • Ergonomic design

What We Don't Love

  • No stopper

Can’t decide which hand-blown glass model to get for your kitchen? Then look no further than this HiCoup product. It’s easily among the best wine decanters to get since it’s functional and aesthetically pleasing at the same time. Compared to standard long-necked wine carafes with a rounded base, this lead-free model is uniquely and beautifully curved to resemble the shape of a swan — hence the name. It’s perfect for decanting wines or for serving fruity alcoholic drinks and even non-alcoholic ones!

Best Easy Clean: YouYah Wine Decanter Set

What We Love

  • Lead-free
  • Built-in filter
  • Slanted top
  • Comes with a cleaning brush

What We Don't Love

  • No stopper

There’s no denying that using a decanter is an easy way of enriching the flavor of wines. However, cleaning up one of these special carafes is another story. That is why this YouYah decanter set is a very practical option to go for. For one, each of these high-quality crystal decanters has a slanted top for less spillage. Plus, they’re easy to clean with the cleaning brush that they come with.

Best Durable: Vintorio Citadel Wine Decanter

What We Love

  • Standard capacity
  • Thick and sturdy
  • With stopper

What We Don't Love

  • Stopper could fit better

Some wine decanters are built to last. Take this Vintorio product, for example. Upon taking a look and feel of the product, you’ll instantly notice its sturdiness from the thick lead-free crystal glass material. And since each one is artisanally hand-blown, its quality is at par with the best decanters on this list. Pour up to a standard bottle of wine or this pear and cranberry cocktail in each Vintorio carafe and enjoy the best that your drink has to offer.

Best Luxury: Riedel Ultra Decanter

What We Love

  • Large capacity
  • Hand-made

What We Don't Love

  • Pricey

In our book, this Riedel decanter is the perfect definition of classy but not flashy. In terms of design, it stays true to tradition with an elongated fluted neck and a low but wide base. This doesn’t make it any less appealing, though. After all, the carafe is also brilliant and sleek due to being handmade using fine crystal. And with its large 40-fluid ounce capacity, you can use this to serve wine or this pomegranate sangria recipe during large gatherings.

Best with Drying Stand: Yorktend Decanter With Wine Accessories

What We Love

  • Comes with many accessories
  • Large capacity
  • Slanted mouth

What We Don't Love

  • Quite heavy

This Yorktend decanter is among the best wine decanters to get that comes with a drying stand. It’s convenient too, as this extra-large crystal vessel with a 64-fluid ounce capacity may be more difficult to find a separate rack for. Apart from that, it also comes with other convenient accessories, namely: cleaning beads, a flexible cleaning brush, a cork, a wine opener, and a stopper, as well as a wine pourer. 

What to Look For in the Best Wine Decanter

Person pouring red wine from a glass decanter into a stemmed wine glass

Wine decanters come in all shapes and sizes. So to help you choose the one that’s right for your needs, we’ve put together this section detailing the different factors to consider. Continue reading to find out everything there is to know about picking a wine carafe:

Material

If you’ve already browsed through our list of featured products, you might have already noticed that most carafes for decanting wine are made of either clear crystal or standard glass. The former is considered more high-quality, as it offers a sleek brilliance that you wouldn’t normally get from regular glass.

So, we recommend going for crystal decanter sets if you’re aiming for that high-end feel. Meanwhile, the latter material often makes for cheaper and sturdier decanters. Either way, you should always check if the material used is lead-free and food-safe. For an extra layer of protection, some portable units may also come with a stainless steel cover.

READ ALSO: 12 Best Stemless Wine Glasses for Your Favorite Drink

Style

The standard wine decanter has an elongated neck for pouring and a wide rounded base for holding the wine while promoting maximum exposure to air. And the larger they get, the lower and wider the base gets. Go for this no-frills design if you’re into a more traditional aesthetic, or if you just want a simple decanter that gets the job done. Although, you can also get a personalized or engraved wine decanter in this classic shape if you want something with a tad more flair.

Apart from this, there are also hand-blown carafes that have unique curves and shapes. One good example of this is the swan-shaped decanter that seems to resemble the titular bird’s figure. These tend to be more expressive and dramatic — perfect for showcasing in your home bar or table spread. We suggest going for a liquor decanter set in this style if you want a functioning model that can also double as decor. 

Size and Capacity

Besides having different shapes, wine decanters are also available in different sizes with varying capacities. And as with any set of options, these have their share of pros and cons. The most common size of a decanter is designed to hold up to 25 liquid ounces, which is equivalent to one bottle of wine. This is generally best for day-to-day use.

Meanwhile, there are also smaller tumbler versions. These may not be able to hold as much liquid, but they’re the most practical for outdoor or traveling use. On the flip side, you also have even larger varieties that can hold liquid equivalent to two bottles of wine. Consider this option for large gatherings.

Ease of Cleaning

Due to their unique curves, carafes aren’t the easiest to clean. This is why we recommend going for a wine decanter that already comes with cleaning beads or a flexible brush for scrubbing each nook and cranny of the glassware. An accompanying cleaning tool will make it much easier to clean the carafe.

Additional Accessories

Before making your purchase, you might also want to decide whether you want extra accessories to come with your wine decanter. For instance, it might be more practical for you to go for a wine decanter set that also comes with wine glasses. Apart from that, some of the best wine decanters nowadays also have accompanying stoppers. Some products may also come with drying stands, wine aerators, pourers, openers, and/or other similar accessories.

READ ALSO: 21 Best Bar Carts For Your Home Bar This 2022

 

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take to decant wine?

There is no single answer to this question, as decanting wine really depends on the type of carafe and vino you’ll be using. Although generally speaking, the standard time for decanting red wine is around 40 minutes. Older and more full-bodied dry wines may take longer, about an hour or two, to fully be enhanced with air. Meanwhile, cheaper vinos will be ready in a shorter 15 to 30-minute waiting time.

How long can you leave wine in a decanter?

Generally, a wine will stay good in a decanter for three days tops. Although this could only happen if your whiskey decanters or wine carafes come with accompanying airtight stoppers that thoroughly keep air out of the container. Why? That’s because even though the wine decanter’s purpose is to aerate the wine for better flavor and aroma, too much exposure won’t do any good to your drink. So it’s always best to regulate this to keep your drink from going stale.  

Which wines are best decanted?

When you talk about decanter wine, the most common types that’ll come up to people’s minds are bold and full-bodied red wines like syrah, malbec, or cabernet sauvignon. That’s because these varieties tend to have the most aggressive tannins, and exposing them to air can help lessen or tone down this unpleasant quality. An older red wine could also benefit from decanting. You might also ask, can you decant a white wine? While you can definitely try decanting this variety, white wines don’t really need it as they have lower levels of tannins overall.

How do you clean a decanter?

Swirl warm water around the vessel and it should be good to go. If your carafe comes with a brush, you can use it to gently scrub down its insides until all residues are removed. On top of that, cleaning beads can also help. Simply place them in the decanter with warm water, and swirl them around to remove stains. If you don’t have any of these, you can also make do with using rice in place of the beads. Allow the wine decanter to air dry (on a drying stand if possible).

What is the difference between a wine decanter and an aerator?

A wine decanter and an aerator may have the same function of exposing wine to air, but they aren’t the same thing. With the former, you pour wine into the vessel to manually aerate the liquid in the process. The process is gentle and slow, which makes it ideal for older red wines.
On the other hand, an aerator is a contraption that you position on the spout of a wine bottle. It operates with just a push of a button, and it’s usually powered by a battery. It aerates the wine as the liquid passes through it, so it’s quick and efficient — generally better for young and bold varieties.

Want to discuss the best wine decanters for your next wine night? Head over to the Kitchen Equipment section of our forum and share your thoughts on these 15 top-rated options for 2022.

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Kaye

Kaye is a writer and a recent oat milk convert. With a background in Language Studies, she has founded a deep appreciation of cultures, traditions, and the power of words. In her spare time, she enjoys testing some of the trendiest and most accessible recipes on the internet.