Merlot Decanter

Why it works as a gift

A decanter is one of those hosting pieces most homes go without until someone gives them one. Couples register for glasses and serving bowls, but the decanter is easy to leave off the list. That gap is what makes it a considered wedding or housewarming gift: it fills a real hole on the table rather than adding a third set of something they already own. Riedel's listing calls the Merlot its starter decanter, and it holds a standard 750 ml bottle, so one pour fills it.

The details suit a busy household. Riedel makes it by machine from crystal glass and says it is dishwasher safe, so it can go in with the rest of the dinner dishes. It stands about 9.4 inches tall and about 4.5 inches across at its widest, a modest footprint for a shelf or sideboard. Riedel says it comes in a Riedel-branded gift box, so it arrives ready to give, and the listing suggests a Riedel bottle cleaner for keeping the glass clear over time.

Against a handmade crystal decanter at a much higher budget, this is the everyday choice: something that will come out for an ordinary weeknight bottle, not only for anniversaries. Against a decanter-and-glasses bar set, it is plainer and lets them keep the stemware they already have. If they drink mainly sparkling or white wine, a set of Riedel glasses shaped for those wines is the better match.

Who it’s for

• A newly married couple who host friends for dinner and have registered for good glasses but no decanter
• A friend who just moved into a first home with room to entertain, as a housewarming gift
• Hosts who had you to dinner, as a thank-you paired with a bottle of red you know they enjoy
• A sibling or colleague who has started buying better red wine and still pours straight from the bottle

Skip it if

• They don't drink red wine, or rarely drink wine at all
• They already own a decanter they like; a second one mostly takes up shelf space
• They want a statement piece for a collection; this is a simple machine-made shape, not a handmade sculptural decanter

Giving it

• Pair it with a bottle of red wine the couple enjoys so the first use is easy
• This listing is sold by Amazon.com; Riedel says the decanter comes in a Riedel-branded gift box, so check the box on arrival before wrapping
• For a wedding, add a card with the date so it becomes the decanter from their wedding rather than just a decanter
• Glass can break in transit; check the retailer's return terms before the gift goes out

The facts

Article number

1440/14

Material and making

Machine-made crystal glass

Capacity

Sized for one standard bottle: 750 ml (about 25.4 fl oz)

Size

About 9.4 in tall; about 4.5 in at its widest

Care

Dishwasher safe; Riedel's description suggests its bottle cleaner for stains

Packaging

Single decanter in a Riedel-branded gift box

Sold by (this listing)

Amazon.com

Consider instead

• Riedel Extreme Cabernet Glasses, Set of Four — Matching red-wine glasses if they need stemware as well as a decanter
• Riedel Ti Amo Champagne Flutes, Set of Four — A better fit for a couple who toast with sparkling wine
• Marquis by Waterford Markham Decanter & Glasses Set — A decanter and glasses together, for spirits rather than wine