This Wine Purifier and Crystal Decanter Combo Will Convince You to Tidy Up Your Messy Fridge
You can also use it to filter by the glass.
You can also use it to filter by the glass.
As a casual wine enthusiast, I was once proud of myself for purchasing a few fancy cork stoppers to preserve my bottles of red varietals. But this setup introduced a few issues: I didn’t like the look of a wine bottle in my fridge, even those with gorgeous embellishments on the label like my favorite Malbec. Also, tiny pieces of cork always seemed to find their way into the bottle, and finally, wine bottles take up too much fridge space and are difficult to secure, which makes me a bit of a nervous wreck. (A bottle sitting in a door shelf that’s half-empty is a recipe for disaster if I open the door, the bottle shifts, and the cork stopper suddenly stops working, resulting in a slow wine leak.)
Given all these wine-keeping conundrums, I leapt at the opportunity to test the Üllo Original Wine Purifier with Hand Blown Decanter. It’s beautifully crafted glassware that’s designed to filter out cork pieces and sulfites, making it a healthier and more aesthetically pleasing storage method. Until I graduate to a wine fridge, here’s my take on the Üllo Wine Purifier and Decanter combo after using it over the past few months.
Üllo Original Wine Purifier With Hand Blown Decanter
Made of lead-free crystal, the decanter comes with a small yet cute display base and a three-part, easy-to-assemble modular filter that rests perfectly on top of the vessel. You also have the option of using the filter on any wine glass—it’s made to fit all types as well as any of Ullo’s other decanters and carafes. The crystal is dishwasher-friendly so cleaning it is a breeze. The set comes with a set of six filters that accommodate one bottle each; replacements are sold separately in packs of 10-25.
While the set is currently $149.99 on Amazon, there are certainly less expensive options available. (The solo decanter is $99.99.)
She’s a genie in a bottle
To the untrained eye, the decanter resembles a bottle that houses an Aladdin-esque wish-granting genie, but only for wine-related requests. Also? It could easily double as a pretty vase. The wide base prevents it from tipping over, eliminating any concerns about spillage. The other good news? If your refrigerator tends to routinely descend into a disorganized mess of food containers, random condiments, and takeout boxes, the decanter will still shine next to it–it’s pretty enough to motivate an on-the-spot fridge cleanup.
Does it work, though?
I tested the filter by pouring wine directly into the decanter first, and later into individual wine glasses and found similarly satisfying results. As promised, the filter fit and worked on my wine glasses, and effectively eliminated all signs of cork remnants each time I used it. I stuck to the directions and used a new filter after each bottle (or every 4-5 glasses, depending on the size). And while it’ll be a long time before I’m qualified to provide sommelier-approved picks for Dwell’s Wine Club, I can attest to the Ullö’s decanter’s ability to preserve the flavor. One functional downside, however: it dripped when pouring from it, a minor yet noticeable hitch a few users have also noted.
Pour the wine, light the fire
Overall, I don’t miss the unnerving presence of wine bottles clinking around in my refrigerator. The Ullo Decanter makes for a much neater display and so far, there have been absolutely no spills (or any risks of one). It consumes a lot less space—specifically vertical—than a single bottle and despite the minor pouring issue, it’s still a quite functional storage solution and sophisticated enough in appearance to convince anyone who sees it that I know way more about wine tasting and storing than I actually do. A win-win!
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