10 BEST Wine Decanters to Let Your Red Wine Breathe!

Any real red wine drinker will have a decanter in their wine arsenal. If you’re new to wine collecting and you’ve decided to start aerating your wine before serving, you’ve made a smart decision.

Many people do not understand they should decant wines before tasting in order to allow them to develop their flavor. 

Decanters expose the wine to oxygen, which not only helps to release the aromas that lay dormant in the bottle but also helps to separate the sediment from the liquid. 

If you’re unfamiliar with wine decanters, researching and shopping for one can seem daunting. We found and tested many great and purchase-worthy options to help you decide!

How We Narrowed Down the Best Red Wine Decanters

To find the greatest red wine decanter options, we looked at some of the best brands. We gathered a lot of information on decanters of varying designs, materials, qualities, features, and sizes.

Our search brought us to companies like Riedel, a well-known brand in the wine world. They have glass-blowing roots going back some 300 years!

We also looked at other brands like Godinger, which has specialized in handblown crystal for 30 years.

We then went to websites like Amazon and reviewed what real consumers had to say about their experience with these brands. 

From there we were able to choose 20 red wine decanters to test ourselves.

We tested these decanters for many factors based on overall design including size, ease of care, (cleaning and storing), and effectiveness.

We also considered the quality of glass and durability, which often went hand in hand. Ultimately, 10 of those red wine decanters made our top picks list!

We decided to mention 6 other great red wine decanters as honorable mentions as well.

Read our related article, How Does Dessert Wine Differ From Red Wine? If you’re new to the world of wine, this comparison guide is a great place to start!

Best Red Wine Decanter Reviews

1. Best Overall: Le Chateau Wine Decanter

Product Ratings

Affordability	4/5
Ease of Care	4/5
Quality	4.5/5
Effectiveness	5/5
Durability	4.5/5

Features: 32 oz | Lead-free crystal | 5” x 8.5” x 10”

When we tested Le Chateau Wine Decanter we knew it had to be our top choice for best wine decanter!

If we didn’t already sell you on the importance of decanting wine take a look at this article from MasterClass.

Design

The lead-free crystal Le Chateau Wine Decanter is hand-blown and scalloped with an eye-catching design. Once you fill the crystal with deep red wine, the effect is striking.

You won’t want to pack this decanter away, and that’s part of the attraction.

This decanter is dishwasher safe, however, like many of the decanters on our list, we recommend hand washing to preserve quality and avoid damage. 

As for quality control, we did have some issues with products arriving chipped or broken.

Capacity

When you’re looking for decanters, ask yourself how much you usually drink in one sitting.

If you only pour out one bottle at a time, this compact decanter is perfectly sized to accommodate a standard 750ml bottle.

Effectiveness

We found that when we poured wine into this decanter, it hit the widest part of the vessel. This means the wine is exposed to the maximum amount of oxygen, allowing us to enjoy a perfectly developed wine. 

The slanted spout of this decanter is amazing as we didn’t experience spilling or dripping that plagues many cheaper units.

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2. Runner Up: Riedel Cabernet Decanter

Product Ratings

Affordability	4/5
Ease of Care	4.5/5
Quality	4./5
Effectiveness	4.5/5
Durability	4/5

Features: 38 oz | Machine-blown crystal | 9” x 9” x 9”

Known for their glass-blowing expertise, Riedel offers a quality single decanter or value packs! You can buy a set of 2, 3, or even 4.

Design

Made with precision from machine-blown crystal, this decanter is impeccable. The crystal is delicate without seeming too fragile.

Riedel knows they don’t need a fancy design to produce quality.

Although this crystal decanter is rather simple looking and designed with a classic shape, it does exactly as advertised giving you beautiful, smooth red wine every time.

The manufacturer describes how these decanters can be cleaned in the dishwasher, although they strongly recommend hand washing to preserve the integrity of the decanter over time.

Capacity

Capacity is a fraction under 38oz, giving you ample room inside the decanter to develop a full bottle of your favorite red before serving.

The glass is the perfect height and shape so that the wine does not fill too close to the top. This is a perfect capacity for yourself or a dinner for two.

Effectiveness

This decanter has a narrow base then widens and finally narrows out again at the opening.

When filling this vessel with the suggested 750 ml bottle, the wine sits right at the widest point in the glass.

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3. Best Budget Snail Shape Wine Decanter: Simplified By Jess Wine Decanter

Product Ratings

Affordability	5/5
Ease of Care	4.5/5
Quality	3.5/5
Effectiveness	4/5
Durability	4.5/5

Features: 40 oz | Crystal Glass | 9” x 3.5” x 14.6”

Simplified By Jess Wine Decanter gives you quality and effectiveness at a fair price!

So, what caught our eye about this product?

Design

The crystal used for this decanter is lead-free for your peace of mind. It’s also hand-blown giving you a wonderful addition to the wine serving cabinet. 

The durability of this glass holds up great as well. We had mostly great feedback on this decanter with many swearing by it! 

However, we discovered some isolated complaints about the base of the decanter not sitting quite true on the table, making it very slightly wobbly.

Despite the snail shape design of this decanter, we found cleaning was as easy as soap and rinse, and it did fine in the dishwasher as well. 

The simplicity of this crystal wine decanter makes it an ideal gift for those who are looking to expand their wine glassware and learn to decant wine.

Take a look at this page for a bit of history and information on wine tasting.

Capacity

The capacity of this unit is sufficient for almost 2 bottles of your favorite wine.

If you frequently drink inexpensive wine, or you exclusively drink red wine, there’s no substitute for a proper decanter, and this one is a great value.

Effectiveness

The snail shape of this decanter has a functional purpose as well as catching the eye. More fresh air gets in and helps to draw out the tannins to bring out the best in the flavors and aroma of the wine. 

As you pour your wine into the fine crystal, forced exposure to oxygen will bring out the very best in your red. Mediocre wines will taste better, while good wines become great after aeration.

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4. Best Budget Swan Shape Decanter: WBSEos Wine Decanter

Product Ratings

Affordability	4.5/5
Ease of Care	4/5
Quality	3.5/5
Effectiveness	4.5/5
Durability	4/5

Features: 52 oz | Lead-free crystal | 15” x 9.7” x 5.6”

WBSEos offers a beautiful U-shaped, or swan style decanter for those on a budget!

Many people don’t know that there are multiple different types and purposes of decanters. Here’s some information on varying decanter shapes and uses!

Design

This decanter is hand-blown from 100% lead-free crystal. A specially designed inclined top helps to avoid spilling and overflow. 

A curved oblique mouth means effortless pouring from decanter to glass. This decanter comes thoughtfully packaged, making it great for gift giving.

Capacity

Despite its size, this vessel is quite lightweight. The lead-free glass is designed to house an oversized 1500ml bottle or a pair of standard Bordeaux bottles.

Effectiveness

Now, it’s not enough that a wine decanter can take a whole bottle of wine – it also needs to provide an expansive breathable surface for that wine.

WBSEos nails this and ensures that as much air as possible commingles with your wine. 

Despite having narrow openings, plenty of oxygen is able to penetrate the wine in this glass.

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5. Best Wine Decanter With Accessories: BTaT Decanter

Product Ratings

Affordability	4/5
Ease of Care	4.5/5
Quality	4/5
Effectiveness	4/5
Durability	4.5/5

Features: 60 oz | Lead-free, hand-blown crystal | 5” x 8.5” x 10”

Coming with everything you need, this wine decanter from Brewed To a Tea (BTaT), is perfect for those new to wine collecting and decanting.

Design 

Made from hand-blown crystal, the decanter will make a striking addition to your wine cabinet, and you certainly won’t be looking to store it away between uses. This carafe features a 100% lead-free construction, too.

You also get a stand and a cork ball stopper, a cleaning brush, and some decanter cleaning beads, as part of the pack, so there’s no excuse not to keep your decanter spotless. 

Furthermore, a drying stand comes with this product, which we loved! With all of these accessories, you’re guaranteed to maintain the integrity of this decanter for a long time.

One slight issue we had with this product was that the drying stand was a bit wobbly sometimes. However, this did not affect the overall design of the vessel itself.

Capacity

This oversized decanter from BTaT has a 60oz capacity, meaning you could pour two bottles of wine into it.

As with all decanters, though, you’re looking to expose the maximum amount of the wine to the air. So while it can hold more, it will best aerate a standard-size bottle of your favorite vino.

Effectiveness

The bowl of this decanter is extremely wide, and a standard bottle of wine fills perfectly to the widest point of the glass, giving us great results every time!

Despite boasting a 60 oz capacity, we noticed this decanter didn’t work well for more than one bottle of wine.

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6. Best Wine Decanter and Aerator: Rabbit Pura Decanting System

Product Ratings

Affordability	4/5
Ease of Care	4/5
Quality	3.5/5
Effectiveness	4/5
Durability	4.5/5

Features: 26 oz | Stainless steel and glass | 8” x 8” x 12”

Long gone are the days of Rabbit offering only bottle openers. Rabbit now offers many wine accessories including a wine decanter and super aerator!

Looking for wine openers? Here’s a comprehensive list we curated on the Best Wine Openers!

Design

Rabbit actually offers two designs here, a decanter and an aerator, the difference being in speed. Both are priced fairly. The decanter takes a bit longer to expose the wine to the air. 

The super aerator is designed so that the wine enters the vessel drop by drop, and cascades down the sides of the glass, giving the wine maximum exposure to oxygen much quicker. 

The carafe is easy to hand wash, ideally using some cleaning beads. The other components are safe to slide into the dishwasher for hands-free cleanup without causing any corrosion. 

With this glass being hand-blown there were some occasional imperfections like air bubbles.

While we’re on the topic of aerators, be sure to check out our article on the Best Wine Aerators!

Capacity

This decanter may look small, but don’t let that fool you. It is perfectly sized to hold a 750 ml bottle of wine! The size and shape of the glass perfectly hold the wine for ideal surface area.

Effectiveness

We found both designs to be quite effective, and we loved how we could serve the wine right from the decanter. Not only that, but it comes with a screen to filter your wine from any sediment. 

Our only complaint about this decanter is that the filter screen rusted easily, even when we took care to wash properly and dry immediately.

Although this can be replaced, we felt for the price, the screen could be a bit more reliable.

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7. Best Decorative Wine Decanter: Godinger Dublin Wine Decanter

Product Ratings

Affordability	4.5/5
Ease of Care	4/5
Quality	3.5/5
Effectiveness	4/5
Durability	4/5

Features: 26 oz | Lead-free crystal | 5” x 5” x 12”

Here’s a quality crystal wine decanter from Godinger that is sure to be the topic of your guests’ conversations at your next dinner party!

Design

This lead-free crystal decanter is delicate with some gentle fluting on the exterior. The wedge cut finish ensures that the light catches this decanter for a sparkling that will draw guests in.

The glass is relatively small, but still designed perfectly for decanting. Despite being quite flashy this product is designed well and makes for quite a statement piece! 

However, we did have a few complaints that the cork slipped out of the glass easily. We also had a report or two of the base of this decanter being slightly wobbly which seemed to be a quality control issue. 

Always be sure to check your glass for any imperfections, and utilize refund or return policies when possible.

Capacity

The decanter is slim, fairly compact, and small in stature. We thought that the small size of this decanter couldn’t pull it off. Nonetheless, the capacity is perfect for a regular 750ml wine bottle!

Effectiveness

Like all great decanters, this one has a wide bowl to allow the wine to decant, and the aromas to permeate the glass.

We were able to pour wine from this decanter with ease, and we didn’t notice any spilling or dripping. 

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8. Best Wine Decanter For Everyday Use: GoodGlassware Wine Decanter

Product Ratings

Affordability	4.5/5
Ease of Care	4/5
Quality	3.5/5
Effectiveness	4/5
Durability	4/5

Features: 44 oz | Crystal glass | 5” x 6.5” x 8.7”

GoodGlassware offers a durable, simple wine decanter that’s perfect for daily use.

Design

Upon initial impressions, this decanter feels hefty and reliable and seems to have a sturdy design. It doesn’t have the feel of being thin glass or fragile.

The base of the decanter is extra-wide and stands firmly on the table with no risk of toppling over. The additional benefit of the oversized base is a decanter that’s super simple to clean. 

We absolutely loved this decanter as it did the job well, and maintained integrity.

We did have some negative feedback on this decanter as a few were reported to break or become scuffed after simple usage like cleaning or storing.

Capacity

The 1300ml capacity – which equates to roughly 44oz – gives you enough space for almost 2 bottles of your favorite vino.

More accurately, you can decant a standard-sized 750ml while still ensuring that a large surface area of the wine is exposed to oxygen with perfect results.

Effectiveness

We found this decanter gets the job done without any fuss. We loved the practicality of the simple design making it perfect for everyday use. We also noted there wasn’t really any spillage from the spout.

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9. Best Quality Wine Decanter: Riedel Ultra Decanter

Product Ratings

Affordability	3/5
Ease of Care	4.5/5
Quality	4.5/5
Effectiveness	4/5
Durability	4/5

Features: 44 oz | Fine crystal | 5” x 6.5” x 8.4”

Riedel arguably offers the best glass products for wine out there. Whether it’s a wine glass or decanter you’re looking for, Riedel does it well!

Design

The first thing you’ll notice is the quality of the crystal. Back in 2016, Riedel switched up production to ensure that its crystal was lead-free. They also shaved some weight off this decanter. 

You end up with a unit that feels delicate, but won’t let you down in terms of durability.

Capacity

This decanter has a 44oz-capacity. This gives you the room to pour in almost 2 bottles of your favorite wine.

But again, given the design of this decanter, it’s recommended to only fill it with one bottle of wine for optimal aeration and flavor.

Effectiveness

Riedel decanters are not cheap, but the absolute quality results that they provide are next to none!

If you don’t mind paying a premium – and millions of customers across the globe don’t – then you’ll get a first-class wine decanter that is classy and makes your wine delicious.

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10. Best Wine Decanter For Value: YouYah Wine Decanter

Product Ratings

Affordability	4/5
Comfort	4.5/5
Durability	4/5
Sizing	3.5/5
Quality	4/5

Features: 62 oz | Lead-free crystal | 5” x 7.5” x 7.5”

Coming in at a fair price this wine decanter and accessory set offers great value for money.

Design

YouYah produces a comprehensive set with this wine decanter including absolutely everything you need to draw out the best qualities in your red wine or light red wine. 

The crystal used is completely lead-free for your peace of mind. It’s also hand-blown, giving you a commanding conversation piece as well as a functional device for improving your red wine.

The carafe comes with a cork stopper and holder. The manufacturer also throws in some cleaning beads and a brush, so you have no excuse not to keep your wine decanter free of red wine stains.

Capacity

Now, although the capacity of the decanter is among the most generous on our shortlist, it doesn’t work well with more than a bottle of wine poured inside.

Even then it seems this glass may be a bit small to fully aerate the wine.

Effectiveness

Whether or not the wine fits is not the only relevant point here. You’ll also need a large surface area of the wine exposed to oxygen to make the process effective. This decanter does so, just not as well as we’d like. 

We definitely noticed this decanter did not produce results as well as some of the other decanters on our list, but still got the job done, especially when given extra time.  

We love that YouYah delivered the decanter set with wonderful, gift-worthy packaging making this a perfect birthday or Christmas present.

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Comparison Chart

Products	Best Overall	Runner Up	Best Budget Snail	Best Budget Swan	Best with Accessories	Best with Aerator	Best Decorative	Best for Everyday Use	Best Quality	Best Value
Overall Rating	4.4/5	4.4/5	4.3/5	4.1/5	4.2/5	4/5	4/5	4/5	4/5	4/5
Affordability	4/5	4/5	5/5	4.5/5	4/5	4/5	4.5/5	4.5/5	3/5	4/5
Ease of Care	4/5	4.5/5	4.5/5	4/5	4.5/5	4/5	4/5	4/5	4.5/5	4.5/5
Quality	4.5/5	4.5/5	3.5/5	3.5/5	4/5	3.5/5	3.5/5	3.5/5	4.5/5	4/5
Effectiveness	5/5	4.5/5	4/5	4.5/5	4/5	4/5	4/5	4/5	4/5	3.5/5
Durability	4.5/5	4/5	4.5/5	4/5	4.5/5	4.5/5	4/5	4/5	4/5	4/5

The Winner

In the end, there was no denying Le Chateau Wine Decanter is the Best Overall pick! A quality guarantee paired with a simple yet sleek design at a fair price made this decanter our first choice.

Read More: How to Pack Wine Glasses. Packing your wine glasses and accessories can lead to disaster if not done correctly. We show you how to safely pack wine glasses!

How to Decide Which Wine Decanter Is Perfect for You

All wine decanters have the same purpose, but they achieve it in slightly different ways. Here are a few things to consider when choosing your perfect decanter.

Crystal Glass vs Standard Glass 

Both glass and crystal decanters are fit for purpose. Crystal is more durable and correspondingly more expensive.

Avoid glass decanters with thin walls or intricate shapes. This is a recipe for broken glass, and complicated shapes can make it hard to decant wine.

High levels of lead can leach into alcohol from leaded crystal, but this only becomes problematic if you keep your wine in the decanter for longer periods. 

Unless you’re aging port wine, this is unlikely to occur. That said, we still advise looking for lead-free crystal decanters like those on our shortlist.

Aesthetics

We recognize that aesthetics are subject to opinion depending on the consumer.

If you want to display your decanter on the cabinet with your wine, though, it makes sense to look for one with great aesthetics that appeal to you.

Read More: What Gets Rid of Cigar Breath? Here’s how to get rid of cigar breath and smells FAST!

Cleaning

Ensure that all the wine decanters on your shortlist are easy to clean. You’ll find some decanters that are dishwasher-safe, but the majority need hand washing. 

Even when decanters are listed as dishwasher safe you may still find they are more suitable for handwashing. So always use your best judgment to help maintain the integrity and shine of your glass.

Read More: How to Get Wine Smell Out of Car. Spilled wine leads to stains and an unpleasant, lingering smell. Learn how to remove it from the fabric in your car!

Honorable Mentions

Here’s a brief look at the 7 options that didn’t make our best wine decanters list.

1. Le Sens Scorpion Wine Decanter – Considered for Affordability

Le Sens offers this scorpion decanter that draws attention to itself without looking tacky. If you want show-stopping aerating gear that doesn’t blow the budget, you’re in luck.

We considered this wine decanter for Best Budget Decanter but went with the Simplified By Jess Wine Decanter. This is because we did have wine spills and drips from the slanted spout of the Le Sens decanter.

2. Spiegelau Authentis Decanter – Considered for a Top-Tier Option

Spiegelau has a hard-won reputation in this space for producing top-tier glassware that’s not cheap, but never excessive.

Initially, we considered this wine decanter for runner-up. However, due to quality control issues of products upon arrival, we picked the Riedel Cabernet Decanter as it offers the utmost quality we’re looking for.

3. Sagaform Wine Decanter – Considered for a Minimalist Option

This is a tall and slender decanter with a compact footprint and a solid oak ball stopper, making it a great choice for apartment dwellers or anyone working with small or minimalistic spaces. 

We would have mentioned this decanter as Best Wine Decanter For Everyday Use due to its practicality. However, we did notice that this wine decanter did spill a bit when pouring. 

There was no guarantee that this wine decanter would be drip-free during everyday use which is why we chose the GoodGlassware Wine Decanter.

4. VSpin Spiegelau Active Wine Decanter – Considered for an Innovative Option

Next up is something different with another entry from the inimitable Spiegelau. The innovative system creates a vortex so that air is drawn into the wine, aerating it quickly and easily.

The decanter is great, but you’ll need to dig deep to purchase this fine decanter. Therefore, we feel Rabbit Pura Decanting System (and the Super Aerator Rabbit offers) was a better choice for our Top Picks List.  

5. Riedel Magnum Ultra Decanter – Considered for a Classy Option

The hand-made fine crystal of this decanter looks outstanding on the wine cabinet, but it doesn’t feel too fragile. 

This was another product where we really didn’t have too many complaints about the decanter itself. We decided to go with Riedel Ultra Decanter which delivers Riedel quality at a slightly lower price.

6. iSommelier Smart Decanter – Considered for Best Aerator and Decanter

If you have deep pockets and demanding tastes, iSommelier has the perfect aeration solution for you with this smart decanter.

This unit will dramatically slash your aeration time which is ideal if you need the wine fast but you don’t want to sacrifice the quality of the wine in your cup.

Yet again, due to the price, we decided to go with Rabbit Pura Decanting System. We found Rabbit offered a more budget-friendly choice and perfect results.