It’s not unusual for people who have an interest in a topic to turn it into a hobby — or even an obsession.
For example, people who play or follow baseball may collect baseball cards or autographed balls. People who travel may collect a particular type of themed souvenir — shot glasses (a staple at airport gift shops) or snow globes or Christmas ornaments.
To enhance the wine experience, some people collect decanters. Today, wine decanters not only are functional — “airing out” a bottle of wine and separating any sediment that may have been in the bottle — but they can be one-of-a-kind pieces of art.
Take the Riedel Amadeo Lyra decanter, as an example. It was created to commemorate the Riedel glass company’s 250th anniversary, and is considered a masterpiece of mouth-blown art. It can be made only by experienced glass blowers, and no two decanters are exactly alike.
The “themes” associated with wine decanters are virtually limitless, ranging from duck-shaped to skull-shaped. Even traditional shaped decanters can be decorated. At an auction held in New Orleans last November, a decanter decorated with gilt brass trim to look like a walrus sold for $1,434.
A love of wine is accompanied by numerous opportunities to collect associated items — from corks to corkscrews, and from books to decanters. If you opt for decanters, just make sure you have enough space available for a proper display case.
