Graal Decanter
"Harmony" Graal Decanter
Resembling a massive wine glass, the Graal Decanter is the brainchild of Bordeaux sommelier Laurent Vialette. And there's nothing humble about the name, the implication being that this is the "Holy Grail" of wine decanters...
According to distributor Gerry Sergeant, the Graal has numerous advantages over other decanters. For starters, as opposed to the "narrow neck" typical of the competition, it has a "slip-lip" that funnels wine into a glass.
"It marks the end of random decanting," reads promotional copy on the box, and allows for "permanent olfactory contact," which presumably means you don't have to pour the wine into a wine glass to check aromatic development; you can simply stick your whole face into the decanter and have a good sniff.
Implied by the design is that you use it much the same as you would a normal wine glass (apart from drinking from it obviously, even though you might be tempted).
Surprisingly light, the Graal handles well even when it has a whole bottle of wine emptied into its belly - delivering on its promise that "risky decanting belong [sic] to the past" even if the copy on the box causes grammatical nitpickers to lift an eyebrow.
Use of the decanter is simple: you simply swirl the wine around to release its aromas and flavours, let the wine stand for a while to breathe, and finally pour the wine through the slip-mouth. It's straightforward to clean after use too. There's not much more to it, apart from it being quite a striking piece on your dinner table (that might double up as a punch bowl if all else fails).
Not to be confused with the Graal Decanter produced by Spiegelau, the "Harmony" Graal Decanter retails for approximately R800. Tel 021 855 5680.
