# Decanting Doesn't Make You a Wine Snob - Made In Decanting wine may seem like what bougie people do at a dinner party, but it’s actually what every wine drinker should be doing when they pop a bottle. This may be a hot take: buying (and subsequently using) a decanter does not, in fact, make you guilty of the kind of snotty, white-table cloth bougieness that this very essential tool has unfortunately become synonymous with. Believe me, I can hear your scoffing through the screen and I used to be just like you. Growing up in a flyover state of the southeastern United States virtually guaranteed that every house I ever walked into didn’t have a decanter on display or even hiding at the back of the pantry. I’m pretty sure I made it to my early twenties before someone even said the word and I knew it had something to do with wine. My first thought was “That’s what bougie people do.” But it’s not. It’s what anyone who drinks wine _should _do. Here's what you need to know. ```json { "_key": "f9737a885701", "_type": "tableOfContents" } ``` ## What Does a Decanter Even Do? ```json { "_key": "6f9a8bb87c7e", "_type": "medium", "ctas": null, "description": null, "image": { "asset": { "altText": "A spread of various cheeses, meats, nuts, grapes, bread, and two glasses of wine next to a wine decanter on a wooden surface.", "metadata": { "dimensions": { "_type": "sanity.imageDimensions", "aspectRatio": 1.8, "height": 1000, "width": 1800 }, "lqip": "data:image/jpeg;base64,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" }, "url": "https://cdn.sanity.io/images/fr9flhkd/main/a05a021c6f0718114300d0b9d9cf91642c0663ef-1800x1000.jpg" } }, "tags": null, "type": "image", "video": null } ``` Wine and decanters go together like peas and carrots, or maybe _Big Macs & Burgundy_. They are as vital to your wine game as a cork screw or a wine glass. It is such a basic part of enjoying wine that if “Getting Into Wine” had a starter-pack, a decanter would be in it. The point of decanting, or even swirling, is to coax aromatic compounds _out_ of a wine by pushing oxygen _into_ the wine. You might have heard it called “letting it breathe” or “opening up” a wine.  Most wines benefit from a little aeration, meaning they start to smell and taste even better than they would if you just poured some straight into your wine glass. Decanting also helps any sulfur-based smells or overly alcoholic notes blow off, letting the wine shine through. Because of this simple science, using a decanter helps you unlock the joys of an exceptional or even just-plain-good bottle of wine. ```json { "_key": "8457129a87dd", "_type": "cta", "title": "Shop Decanter", "url": "https://madeincookware.com/products/decanter/1500-ml" } ``` ## What Wine Should be Decanted? ```json { "_key": "88f230e9db04", "_type": "medium", "ctas": null, "description": null, "image": { "asset": { "altText": "A spread of assorted cheeses, grapes, bread, and glasses of wine on a wooden table, evoking a sense of a gourmet tasting or social gathering.", "metadata": { "dimensions": { "_type": "sanity.imageDimensions", "aspectRatio": 1.8, "height": 1000, "width": 1800 }, "lqip": "data:image/jpeg;base64,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" }, "url": "https://cdn.sanity.io/images/fr9flhkd/main/0cdac3fb30e7af6562984784da49a3b3124e3812-1800x1000.jpg" } }, "tags": null, "type": "image", "video": null } ``` Luckily, not every bottle needs to be decanted. Some won’t change when decanted and some will just fall apart. There’s a right amount of air to reveal a wine’s full characteristics and a wrong amount of too much air that can completely oxidize and crush a wine. This is why we recommend tasting your wine before you decant to see how expressive it is. There’s no need to take a massive whiff. Just take slow, gentle sips of air, paying attention to what you smell as you breathe out and in. If aromas are blasting out of the glass full-throttle, don’t prematurely aerate them all away. But if you don’t smell much, give that decanter a crack at it. There’s more info on becoming a non-snob wine-pro in my book _Big Macs & Burgundy_, as well. ## The Made In Decanter ```json { "_key": "1944f0b1a28f", "_type": "variant", "data": { "_id": "variant-39708646146127", "badges": [], "collegiateAsset": null, "computed": { "compare_at_price": 198, "discount": 20, "isAvailable": false, "isPrimary": false, "offset": 39, "price": 159, "status": "outOfStock" }, "handle": { "current": "red-wine" }, "imageBadges": null, "media": [], "meta": { "hasCollegiate": false, "hasTrial": null, "hasWaitList": false, "isCollegiate": false, "isDiscountEligible": false, "isFinalSale": false, "isOnSale": true, "isSet": true, "promoDates": null, "promoPrice": null }, "product": { "ranking": 79, "rating": { "rating": 4.92, "rating_count": 5297 }, "shopify": { "handle": "decanter", "id": 6642304614479, "image": { "alt": "decanter only", "height": 1440, "src": "https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/2131/5111/products/Web_P1_Decanter_1x1_Top.jpg?v=1762199092", "width": 1440 }, "title": "Decanter" } }, "shopify": { "handle": null, "id": 39708646146127, "image": { "alt": null, "height": 1440, "src": "https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/2131/5111/products/Web_P1_Decanter_RedWine_Glassware_Set_1x1_Hero_14b16377-167a-463d-a333-b92382267aba.jpg?v=1698953379", "width": 1440 }, "title": "With 4 Red Wine Glasses" }, "taxonomies": [ { "handle": { "current": "glassware" }, "title": "Glassware", "type": "product_category" }, { "handle": { "current": "tabletop" }, "title": "Tabletop", "type": "product_category" }, { "handle": { "current": "wine-glasses" }, "title": "Wine Glasses", "type": "product_type" }, { "handle": { "current": "drinkware" }, "title": "Drinkware", "type": "product_category" } ], "title": null } } ``` I like the Made In Decanter because it's kind of like an AP glass (winespeak for “all-purpose” glass, meaning you can use it for red, white, whatever). They’ve created a version that isn’t the widest and isn’t the skinniest you can find on the market, meaning it's a great middle-of-the-road option that will work for just about anything you might want to give a little extra air-love to. ```json { "_key": "26538ac2a1b3", "_type": "cta", "title": "Shop Wine Glasses", "url": "https://madeincookware.com/collections/glasses" } ``` --- URL: https://madeincookware.com/blogs/why-decanting-doesnt-make-you-a-wine-snob