DECANTERS - more than just design pieces

Out of the bottle and into a decanter. But which type? And why? Decanters are quite wonderful – a feast for the eyes, whether decorated or not, whether modern in shape or classic – they bring something special to even the plainest of tables.
Of course you need a steady hand as well as a suitable decanter if you are going to decant a wine. It is not always a question of looks. Whilst a young, still immature wine may benefit from the dose of oxygen it receives in a broad-bottomed decanter with a wide opening, this may be the kiss of death for an older wine. Mature wines are better off in narrower decanters as they do not need a rude awakening with oxygen in order for the bouquet to unfold.
In the first instance decanting helps to separate the wine from its sediment. The wine’s appearance is then perfect as any sediment remaining after decanting settles on the bottom of the decanter.
Pay attention to the weight of the decanter. If you have a decanter that looks wonderful but is made of heavy glass, it may be that you have to lift more than 2 kilos when the decanter is full. This can be a problem if you have to pour the decanter with one hand – and you have to do this without making a mess. In spite of all this, I wish you lots of fun with your decanter and with your wine.

If the glass is right, then the wine will be right.

Don’t let yourself be seduced by beautifully decorated glasses and unusual shapes. The most important thing with a wine glass is that the shape should allow the glass to fulfil its function of providing optimum conditions for the wines aromas to unfold. I have had considerable experience with glasses of different types and been quite surprised by some of the experiences – wine in an old mustard glass being one of them which I would really rather not be reminded of. The huge range of glass shapes and sizes really hits you when you look in shop windows – designer glasses, sparkling wine glasses which look like upturned ice-cream cones or those enormous red wine goblets which still look empty even when you have poured a whole bottle of wine into them. And don’t touch octagonal glasses, even if they do look fabulous,. First of all it is difficult to get any wine into your mouth at all and secondly it is even more difficult to do this without spilling any on your shirt and jacket. The glass itself may look great but the pleasure of drinking falls by the wayside. And, if the glass is right, then it will also be right for your neighbour. And what’s ok for him, has been ok for wine for a long time.
My tips are as follows: the glass with elegant curves meant for young white wines will tone down its aromas and makes the acidity appear less tart; the bulbous red wine glass which makes wines appear younger works like an aroma funnel – only the pleasant aromas actually reach the nose; the elongated, narrow oval of sparkling or Champagne glasses allows the aromas to develop without the carbon dioxide bubbles tickling the nose.
If you are feeling adventurous, try tasting the same wine in different glasses. You will certainly notice certain differences. And don’t forget, the right glass shows the wine at its best.

Sommelier World Champion Waiter’s Friend

On the occasion of the sommelier world championship, which takes place every three years, the company Château Laguiole creates a special edition of its waiter’s friend for the respective world champion. Markus Del Monego was the winner of the championship in 1998 and he worked with Château Laguiole to produce the exclusive “mdm” edition waiter’s friend.

Each knife is unique and a real pleasure to use thanks not only to the accurate, extremely high-class workmanship but also to the genuine vine wood that is used for the handle outer. As the knives are made in the traditional method by hand, any wine estate can have its own vine material inserted into the mdm world champion waiter’s friend. The price is €129,- including vat with an additional €7,- for postage and packing. To order the knife:

caveCo GmbH

Heinrich-Held-Str. 37
D-45133 Essen

Tel. +49 (201) 84201-30
Fax. +49 (201) 84201-930

Mail: info@caveco.de

With threads there is a difference between a penetrating thread, shaped like a screw, and a circular thread. The latter is spiral in shape and has a “soul”, as the space in the interior of the spiral is called. The diameter of this is correct when you can put a matchstick into the cavity. This construction allows the forces in the cork to be distributed more evenly and the cork is not pierced and very rarely breaks off in pieces. Even old corks can be removed without a problem.

with a rounded thread. What is also very important is the length of the thread. If it too short, then a long cork, as is found for example with a Cru Classé wine from Bordeaux, will be difficult to extract. However with threads that are too long, you have to be careful that the cork is not bored through completely and small pieces of cork fall into the wine.

The next most important point is the so-called hub. Only when the lever effect is perfect, can the cork be removed effortlessly. Corkscrews shaped like a “t”, which have to be pulled without any leverage, are usually difficult to use. However, corscrews with a well-balanced lever effect, usually allow the corks to be removed easily. Try it out for yourself!


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