Decanting no More: Eisch Breathable Wine Glasses
By Audrey van Petegem, Technical Writer
I was visiting a friend of mine just before Christmas. I had not seen her in ages. We love to catch up over a bottle of wine. She was very excited about the Breathable wine glasses that she had just purchased. She proposed a little taste test. We opened the bottle of Merlot and poured some wine in a regular wine glass and then some in the Eisch Breathable wine glass. After a recommended four minute time lapse, I tasted the same wine from both glasses. All I can say is “what a difference”. The Eisch wine glass aerates the wine in less than 4 minutes, as opposed to the normal decanting process that usually takes one to two hours to achieve the same “opening”, “softening” and “enhancing” of the wine. I was hooked and had to get the Eisch Breathable wine glasses for my husband (well, me) for Christmas.
With two solid months of experience using (it wasn’t too painful) the Breathable glasses, I have consistently found that, as I prepare to take my first sip, the fragrant bouquet wafts deliciously to enhance the taste of the wine, so that I can now immediately taste the wine’s complexity. I went to the Eisch website to find out that the glasses are made in Germany with lead-free crystal. Once made, they then go through a trademarked oxygenizing treatment that gives them their unique properties.
These glasses are a must-have for any wannabe oenophile. Check out 
their complete collection of Breathable glasses for everything from Bordeaux, Chardonnay, Brandy, Champagne, etc… And lastly, here is the link for guidelines on how to do a comparative testing using the Breathables.
Cheers!
Great wine glasses. They actually perform as described. Thanks for the tip!
I appreciate your enthusiasm for this product as well as your personal experience with the glassware.
However you are most likely experiencing the beauty of properly designed stemware.
Unlike most wine glasses, most likely purchased at an Ikea, Target or other discount store, true wine glasses will focus the aromas at a certain point near the rim of the glass. This allows for the full impact of the bouquet of the wine, which is the most important part of tasting. For a true oeniphile, and those of use who actually do taste for a living, the glass is one of the most important parts of the process.
And a quick discussion involving decanting. Decanting is actually for removing wine from a bottle, separating it from the sediment. Most wines purchased today do not technically need to be decanting as the filtering process removes the sediment in a bottle. It does not mean that some wine could not benefit from having a large amount of surface area exposed for some time in order to ‘open’. However this process is often overused and is simply for show.
The claim that an oxygenation process in the stemware somehow enhances faster oxygenation of the wine is completely false. A glass cannot impart oxygen or air molecules through the wine. If this were happening you would actually witness an effervescent effect (bubbling) passing through the wine.
So again, I do appreciate your enthusiasm for this product, but truly it is most likely a product of a finely focused glass.
I really have no way to empress upon you my expertise in this matter, but suffice it to say I have been in the wine business for more than 10 years now and have this conversation before.
Thank you for a great website!
First, I will address that fact that I needed to consider approving this comment since its author did not have the courage to name him/herself and then did not even provide a valid email address for us to respond to. Lame. Still, dear “Anonymous” I thank you, for stimulating a discussion.
Second, I think that I speak for many when I say that we know that sediment is no longer an issue with wines made these days, so decanting is almost rendered irrelevant in that regard. I do believe that decanting for the purpose of aerating the wine is still valid though and that’s what we obviously are making a reference to here. We are also aware that various shapes of glasses are made specifically for various types of wines for the very reason that you mention. Thank you for emphasizing that as well.
Now, as to whether the Eisch glasses truly work to oxygenate and thus enhance the wine… We have many friends that swear that they do enhance the wine substantially and we have written this post to share their discovery. Have you tried them? You can reply with your actual name if you have.
i bought the eisch wine glasses for white wine and just did the test. the difference is amazing! i will never drink out of a normal wine glass again. thanks for the great article.
I loved your reply to the anonymous person who was quick to criticize your article with his or her great knowledge and 10 years of experience; yet had not had the time or desire to actually try the glass! This is amazing that someone who claims to be knowlegeable about wine would quickly condemn a new product without even trying it. My husband who has been in the wine industry for over 30 years was instrumental in introducing this glass to myself and others in the wine industry. Long story short I directly import the glass from Germany and wholesale to wine shops, wineries etc. I received so many calls from people who had heard of this amazing glass or had purchased but could no longer find it to buy that I started a retail web site, http://www.tdmstemware.com. I have been using this glass for 3 years and occasionally do a compartive tasting to remind myself how wonderful this glass really is!
Hi Cathy,
Thanks for letting us know about your website! I’m thrilled to let everyone know where they can now order the Eisch breathable glasses from: http://www.tdmstemware.com/.
Cheers to you!
eisch glasses are awesome. the oxygen thing is probably marketing but drinking from these glass is like discovering how wine is suposed to taste like.
Leave your response!
Social Media Icons
Subscribe2