One of the finest indulgences in life comes with half-filled wine glasses brimming with bliss; the kind that can be granted to us by no other. When it comes to wonderful wine experiences, there are a lot of elements involved - selecting the wine that best pleases your palate, picking the right glasses for the wine you have chosen, a warm setting that accommodates all your loved ones; and above all, the most important contributor to delightful indulgences - the fine art of wine decanting. 

A wine decanter is essentially a vessel, usually made of glass, to pour wine in a certain manner into individual wine glasses. They often have an easy-pour neck and come in all shapes and sizes. When to decant a wine? The answer is simple - each time you wish to have a flavorful experience that serves all your senses. The art involves slowly pouring your wine from its original bottle into the glass vessel. This can be a tricky task at times because you are required to pour the wine into the decanter without disturbing the sediment at the bottom.

Why Decant Wine?

The simplest way to enjoy a wine’s characteristics is to decant it. Wine decanting is a calculated process designed to enhance the flavors and aromas of the wine. This elixir, loved by many, needs to interact with the oxygen in the air for a few minutes so that the tannins vanish to some extent and the flavors and aromas of the wine become more evident. All you have to do is allow the wine to breathe a little before it takes your breath away with every soul-soothing sip.

How To Decant A Wine?

It takes a true wine connoisseur to be able to master the art. If you are passionate about all-thing-wine, the process will surely make for interesting experiences blessed with an easy learning curve. If you are a beginner at decanting, it is best to first have to rely a little on guesswork. Decant it as per your instincts each time you open it, and keep track of what has worked well for that particular wine bottle so far. Overtime, it will come to you naturally.

To help you get started, here is how long you should decant wines:

-Upto 30 minutes if the wine is young

-1-2 hours if the wine is 5+ years old

-3 hours if the wine is 10+ years old

How To Pour Wine From A Decanter?

The correct way to pour wine from a decanter depends on the kind of decanter you are using. The process is usually very simple, it's much like pouring wine from the bottle itself. After you have let the wine sit in the decanter for a sufficient amount of time, you can then swirl it a little bit and then pour it gently into your wine glass. Here are some types of wine decanters that you can ideally use for certain wines:

-For Full-bodied Red Wines: A decanter with a wide base

-For Medium-bodied Red Wines: Medium-sized decanter

-For Light-bodied Red Wines: Small to medium-sized chilled

-For White and Rosé Wines: Small chilled decanter

Handcrafted Wine Decanters By Ikai Asai

Ikai Asai is home to uniquely shaped, hand-crafted wine decanters that never fail to bring a notion of aestheticism to the table. Each one is a proof of fine glasswork and is designed to serve a range of wines in a way that you get to best experience their flavours and aromas.

Originating in first-millennium BC, the archaeological evidence of this craft was first found in the form of glass beads at Maski, a Chalcolithic site in the southern Deccan. After that, more than thirty archaeological sites in different regions of India have produced glass objects in different colours and forms such as bangles, ear-reels, eye-beads, tiles or fragmented vessels.

Today, in the bustling town of Firozabad in India, our craftsmen follow centuries-old glass blowing traditions to create this glassware. Where each piece is inflated with a blowpipe to form a glass bubble and then carefully moulded into contemporary glassware - the perfect amalgam of heritage and modern art.

Here is a glimpse into our thoughtful process - first, the molten glass is inflated with a blowpipe to form a glass bubble, which gives it a bulbous shape. Each piece is mouth-blown individually by our craftsmen. Then, each piece of inflated glass is moulded into a shape according to its utility. All our shapes are largely inspired by traditional Indian utensils; which is why this glassware is also well-known as Indian Hand-blown Glass.

For the finest of experiences, you have to care for the wine accessories just as much as you care for wine. The better the accessories, the richer the indulgence. To help you make the most of the decanters for long, where are a few dos and don’ts that you must follow:

DO:

-To remove visibly accumulated dust or fingerprints, you can hand-clean the glassware using store bought glass cleaning products. First, you will have to flood the glass surface with a spray-on cleaning solution or use a cloth saturated with the cleaning solution. Then, gently rub the glassware clean.

-Once the cleaning is done, wipe the wet surface with a clean, lint-free towel or cloth.

-Then, wipe the glassware completely dry with another, lint-free towel or cloth.

-There is one thing you have to be mindful of - while wiping the glass dry, make sure to stop when it is almost dry, leaving a uniform film on the glass surface. This helps prevent streaking.

DON'T:

-Stack the glassware with other vessels.

-Use a harsh stainless steel/metal scrubber to clean.

A more fascinating fact is that the shapes of our glassware have been kept very simple, in a way that they can casually compliment other materials as well. This way, the decanters not just bring you exquisite wine experiences, but also make for eye-pleasing showpieces on your table. No matter the theme you have chosen for your occasion, they are sure to fit perfectly into it.

The next time you plan to host an evening adorned with the wonders of wine, trust one of our decanters to do the magic. You can explore our handcrafted collection of wine decanters, along with a varied range of wine glasses online, and select the ones that align well with your idea of wine indulgences.