Zazzol Wine Aerator Decanter - Multi Stage Design with Gift Box - Recommended by Business Insider Luxury Aluminum Ring

Very well designed aerator. I have been using a Vinturi for several years, which I purchased because I had hundreds of bottles of vintage red wine, many over 25 years old, and I didn't want to wait an hour or more for the wine to breathe after opening it. The Vinturi worked well. But I got a vacation home and needed another aerator. Decided on the Zazzol instead, in part because of very good Amazon reviews. I actually bought 2 Zazzols, one for my vacation place and another to replace the Vinturi, which tends to leak from the holes in the side when pouring. After a couple of uses I am very happy with the Zazzol. The first time I used it was on an '89 Krug cabernet. When I open these older bottles, the cork often crumbles and I have to use an external strainer, which came with the Vinturi. So I was disappointed to see that the Zazzol had no external strainer and because of the design, no way to easily use one. However, when I poured the wine into the glass, thinking I would have to pour it into another glass through a strainer to catch the cork particles, they were restrained by a built in strainer in the Zazzol which is not readily visable. So problem solved. I also think the multi stage design aerates the wine better than Vinturi's single stage. And by the way, the '89 Krug tasted great immediately after opening it. My second glass the following night poured through the aerator was equally good. So I recommend this product and am glad I bought 2 of them. The packaging is also quite nice and their corporate communications are quite refreshing, They care about customer satisfaction. Of course a primary motive is to elicit good reviews, but if a good review is well deserved, which is the case here, then they will (and just did) get one from me.

This is a delightful aerator. Definitely get one if you (and your guests) will be frequent drinkers. For $37, it is one of the best investments to immediately improve the taste of your drink. Moreover, you no longer have to worry about over-swirling your glass and ejecting the contents. (Whoops.) Win-win. I bought one for myself and I bought one as a gift for a friend. My friend likes it; the pour is easy and it looks classy on the stand. Also, customer service is *excellent* - I had a couple questions about the product and they were answered immediately (*within a few hours). Jen & Jill obviously put a lot of thought and love into their product and it shows in their customer service. You won't have any trouble taking a chance on these two. As for improvements, I would prefer an even wider opening to pour the wine into as it would make for easier aim. I'm not sure how the Zazzol compares to other aerators in this regard. Don't get me wrong, the pour is easy enough on the Zazzol, but you never know after an evening of drinks. Also, the box in which the Zazzol comes in looks nice and presentable, but could be classier...but hey, I wouldn't want to start paying a higher price just for a nicer box, so there's a balance to be had there. I'm going to give it five stars. Overall, I think I will go back to buy more Zazzols as gifts - especially for my friends who are just beginning to develop a wine habit and lack an aerator. After all, if you go to their house for a drink, you might as well make sure they have an aerator handy!

----EDIT #2---- The day after I posted Edit #1 I got a reasonable response about why there was no answer. It was followed by Z's response to my question about white wine. Based on the bottles I have tried since I received it about three weeks ago I would say the same as some literature says about aerators. Realizing that taste is subjective for many reasons and often just a perception, i would explain it by saying that the use of this aerator for white wine will improve the taste but the difference will not be as dramatic as it is for red wine. Based on the explanation for the lack of a timely response (more detailed to me in a private email) and the acknowledgment about white wines I have put the review back at 4*. The only thing I would add is that they are getting closer to a better and competitive price point. I think it should be around $30 with a pre-seasonal/holiday (within 10 days) price of $35. This is based on what I have seen on the bricks and mortar market and have read. The current price would be justified if they can figure out a small stand that will hold it as you pour. Perhaps a wide folding tripod style with one inch legs that can be placed in three glasses of the same or bigger size and you then only have to slide your glass under the aerator at the center. FYI Z's most recent response read as follows: "Thanks for your feedback. We sincerely apologize for not replying to your question. There was some internal miscommunication that unfortunately resulted in your query not being handled in a timely manner as it should have been. We strive to provide exceptional customer service, and we will look at ways to prevent this from occurring in the future. Thanks again for bringing this to our attention. Regarding your question about the aerator in relation to white wine, while the aerator works for both white and red wines, most people tend to notice more of a difference with red wines. Nevertheless, we have tested our aerator with different types of white wines, and depending on the wine the aerator can deliver a smoother, more fragrant glass of white wine." ----EDIT #1 ---- On Dec 26, 2013 I sent an inquiry to Z and got an immediate reply but after three weeks I still do not have an answer to the question re the use of it for white wine. From my reading it would not be necessary or effective although some say it could to a lesser degree than for red wine. Another company offers a different aerator for white wines. I have dropped my review to 3 starts. Also, it is much cheaper than it was about three weeks ago. The exchange with Z was: (ME) Question from the holiday meal: There is another company that offers an aerator for white wine that it distinguishes from its aerator for red wine. Another individual opined that white wines do not need the aeration that these aerators provide like the reds do. What is Zazzol's position on the aeration of whites and the use of the same Zazzol for both types of wine? (Z) Thank you for your inquire. We will have our wine specialist to get back to you later today or tomorrow. Thank you! Jill ***ORIGINAL REVIEW STARTS HERE*** When it arrived I washed it as directed and opened a bottle of vino. I poured one glass and let it stand for a few minutes and then consumed it via the usual ritual. It was fine. The next step was to pour a second drink in another glass using the aerator. There seemed to be a noticeable positive difference but I will be unable to be more definitive until I have at least two other wines over the next couple of weeks. I find that it has design deficiencies that should have been addressed considering the price. (1) One is that there is a small umbrella shaped piece of plastic that is removable. It is about the size of a nickel and clear plastic. It will be very easy to drop it down a drain or set it down and forget where it is or sweep it up with other items on the counter. This could have been resolved with a different color that was not clear or put a stem on it. (2) The pouch is nice but it will not contain the holder stand so that piece will have to be kept track of separately. The only possibility is to retain the box and put the pouch encased aerator and holder stand in it for next use. (3) I find it awkward to hold the aerator over the glass. The set should have come with a tripod-like stand that has a circular holder for the aerator and is tall enough to slide most glasses under it or the stand could be height adjustable. The ideal would be to have such a stand and the reversible stand could be flipped onto the aerator to act as a protective cap from dust, dander and the flying spit of guests in the area as it awaits the next pouring. Overall it is a start of the best wine accessory.

I have been an avid wine collector for the past decade or so. I have a few traditional decanters but I found three problems with these: transportability, storage, and clean up. Because of these issues, I found myself decanting only the best bottles of wine, and even then only when I had friends over. I know that decanting does work but I would not want to hassle with a large, glass decanter. I went to a party, and a friend of mine had one of these "portable" decanters. I tried it and it worked! What an excellent idea, so when I got home, I placed my order. I have since tried it with high-end, as well as what I like to call "drinkers". In every instance, I noticed an improved flavor. I even poured a small amount into my glass on several occasions, then decanted a glass. I could tell a difference in taste each time, very similar to traditional decanting. This little guy really does work! I recommend it to anybody who likes wine, not just the enthusiast, because it does improve the taste of a "drinker", as well as a high quality wine. I did my research and chose Zazzol because I liked the idea of the "multi-stage aeration". They also claimed to allow faster pours, so the wine does not overflow, and I believe this to be true. Great, high-quality product that works, and a company that has good follow-up. I received a few emails checking in that I had received my aerator, and they included wine drinking tips as well. I love that I can bring my Zazzol with me anywhere I go, and I can put it in the dishwasher for easy clean-up! I sure could not do that with my big crystal wine aerator!

I used to decant wine by the bottle. I would do it 30 minutes to an hour before I would serve it. I still do this if I am having people over for dinner because it nice to present wine in a nice glass decanter to guests. This is however not always practical like when you only want one glass not the entire bottle of wine. This works well when having a glass with dinner. I drink more Red than wine and I find it really helps open up Cabernet. It is really easy to use and cleaning it is a snap. I like the holder it comes with and the packaging is upscale and might be a consideration if you are giving it as a gift as I did. I must admit I used to think these were gimmicky but my sister in law had a Vinturi aerator and my wife like it. Did some research and look at the Vinturi and this one. I bought one for my wife for Xmas and we like it. Update: 8/14/2014 My Aerator developed a crack in it. I am not sure how it got there. I never put it in the dishwasher and have not dropped it on a hard surface. I emailed the seller/manufacturer today and received a reply the same day! They went above and beyond to make it right. All I can say is that not only am I impressed with the product itself but with the company who sells it. Things happen defects happen but what makes a good company great is how they react when there is a problem. I cannot say enough about my positive customer service experience!

I purchased this due to the claims that the contraption would help speed up the "breathing" process, as to be ready to drink once poured; fully aerated. It sounded hopeful. I am beginning to get into wine more, but am of the "budget conscious" variety. I found it is possible to find great red wine under $10, but only if it is allowed to aerate properly. I used to do this by pouring a glass and letting it "breathe" for an hour to hour and a half, with a swirl of the glass every so often. This worked great, but not convenient if was a last minute thought for wine. Upon receipt, I purchased a bottle of 14 Hands Merlot, a Washington wine of 2011 Vintage. This is $10/ bottle at what I consider a steal of a price. I have had it at restaurants and been quite impressed, and decided this would be a great test candidate as I don't usually care for Merlot straight from the bottle; too tannic. I poured the wine through the aerator and immediately took a sip. I was amazed! It was quite good for a young merlot! Much of the harshness and chalkyness of dry red wines was much lower, and more balanced with the rest of the flavor. I actually noticed that it seemed to be even better after about another minute or two. I poured a glass for my wife who not a fan of dry red wines at all, and even she was impressed! "It's not harsh!" was her response, which indicated that it was $45 well spent. Overall, this is a great buy. I cannot comment on how it compares against the Vinturi since I haven't used it, but my guess is that the function would be similar.

Like the design, easy to keep lean and works well. For the price this was a value purchase.

Did quite a lot of research before purchasing as there seem to be a few out there that are similar. After using it a couple of times now I have to say that I am really happy with this wine aerator. It is easier than I thought to just grab it before pouring a glass of wine and it does make a noticeable difference to the taste of your wine. It comes in a nice box and this includes a travel pouch as well. There is a little instruction manual too that will come in handy if you want to clean it really thorough. So far it has been really easy to clean with just running some water trough it after each use. I haven't found that it is leaking that bad as some of the reviews say, you just hold it over the glass until the wine is through and you can put it in its holder to make sure no remaining drips fall out. Ooh and the most important part: Yes, the wine does taste really good when using the aerator!

Entgegen der Beschreibung ist er nicht spülmaschinenfest. Der Ring, der Aluminum sein soll ist billig verklebt (man kann den Klebstoff gut erkennen). Schon nach dem ersten Waschgang setzt sich Wasser dahinter ab, und das Material oxidiert eklig grau und lässt das Ganze noch billiger aussehen. Wenn das nicht schon genug wäre, oxidiert/mattiert auch der äußere Teil des Rings komisch und die aufgebrachte Schrift fängt an zu verwischen. Der innere Teil ist billiges Plastik, nur die großen beiden Hauptteile fühlen sich zumindest haptisch ok an, sind aber auch Plastik (in meiner Verkäuferbeschreibung wurde Glas als Material angegeben, das ist aber ein Verkäufer-Fail). Somit ist dieses Produkt für mich billige China-Ware und seinen Preis nicht wert. Auch wenn der Geschmack "etwas" verbessert wird, macht die Optik des verwaschenen/ledierten Rings jedes gute Gefühl wieder zu nichte. Man sollte sich lieber einen richtigen Dekanter aus Glas anschaffen, als auf solche To-Go-Dinger zu setzen!

What does a 5-star rating mean? In my book it means the product works as advertised, is well-made and could not be improved upon. Also, I don't think you can usefully rate a product as the maximum after a couple of days of ownership. You need time to properly evaluate it before awarding a review and rating. I admit to stumbling upon the Zazzool by accident. I'd heard Chris Evans state on radio 2 that decanting wine really did make a difference, and was looking for a cheap way to confirm his statement. I had viewed a couple of YouTube videos praising decanters of this type and found several on eBay at varying price points. Now I'm aware of the adage you get what you pay for, so Amazon provided a useful price comparison along with reviews. It was while searching for reviews of a similar product that Amazon suggested I might like to view the Zazzool. After reading the description it sounded interesting, the excellent reviews finally made my mind up and I bit the bullet. From the 5-stars you can see I'm impressed, and I mean, *really impressed*. It really brings the taste of wine to life. The flavours and smoothness are enhanced and it's all down to this excellent product. It passed the ultimate test when, horror of horrors, I temporarily overlooked the Zazzool and poured some wine straight from the bottle into my glass. I could immediately tell the difference. The wine was thinner and sharper with few of the rounded flavours I'd been enjoying previously. The only very slight niggle I have is the lack a support when pouring, you have to hold it over the glass as your dispense. That is not enough for me reduce the star count, as you soon get used to it. There are no external holes you have to keep your fingers away from and using it soon becomes second nature. In summary, both the wife and I will not have a glass of wine at home without using it. If you are debating whether to decant your wine, then buy this. You won't be disappointed.

When you don’t want to decant an entire bottle, this works well.

In general I like gizmos and more recently whilst in New Zealand I happened to find one for aerating wine. I bought a couple and have been very pleased with these. The principal of its operation brought back some basic physics from a great many years ago relating to the Bernoulli principal which has a very interesting relationship with how a vortex behaves. The Bernoulli principal states that when fluid in a pipe encounters a restriction, such as a narrowing of the pipe, the flow will increase in velocity. A carburettor is a good example of this. As the flow of air is drawn through the throat of a carburettor, a narrowing of the diameter of the throat causes an increase in the velocity of the air with a corresponding decrease in air pressure. This low pressure is used to suck fuel in to be mixed with the passing air via carefully measured orifices called jets. Many of the currently available wine aerators follow this principal in that pouring the wine into the funnel results in air being sucked into the system thereby causes the wine to be aerated. The Zazzol Aerator looks similar but has a different and more effective operation. There are no air holes (and hence no possibility of leakage which can occur with the other models) – instead the wine is poured onto a small “umbrella” which distributes the flow which then passes through a filter of small holes which helps further aeration before finally flowing through a restriction (the Bernoulli effect) causing a final vortex and the third phase of aeration. The result is a sensationally effective aeration system resulting in readily drinkable wine. Having tried a number of such devices (some are cheap and ineffectual/unreliable) it is very much well worth paying a little bit more for the Zazzol Aerator – it will last a lifetime so why not go for the best.

Bought as a Christmas gift. Appears to be good quality and the recipient loved it.