A RoJaus wine decanter is a large, upside down glass funnel clamped in a decorative stainless steel frame attached to a solid base. The funnel has a spigot at the bottom and a removable mesh screen at the top. The slightly cupped screen holds a sealed glass ball, partly filled with water, which can be refrigerated or frozen. Pouring the wine over this will help chill the wine slightly.
Decanting to Aerate
In large doses, oxygen is wine's enemy. Wine contains natural bacteria which need oxygen to grow, and if they get it, and grow, they can turn wine to vinegar. Long exposure to air can also damage wine in the same way that exposure to air will spoil and brown fruits like apples or bananas. An "oxidized" wine will taste flat or even cooked. However, in small doses, aerating helps a wine taste better. This is especially true of young red wines, whose harsh tannins soften with a swirl through a decanter.
Decanting for Sediment
Fine old red wines may "throw" a sediment which will muddy the wine unless it is decanted. This is what the RoJaus' mesh screen is for. It will also catch pieces of cork that may have fallen into the bottle at opening.
Using the RoJaus
The funnel of the RoJaus decanter looks deceptively small. It does hold a full bottle (750ml) of wine. When you are ready to use it, simply clamp the funnel into the frame, put in the mesh screen and the glass ball if you are using them, and pour the wine right over the ball and through the screen into the funnel. When you want a glass of wine, place your glass on the base under the spigot, and press the spigot's lever. The RoJaus comes completely apart for cleaning, spigot and all, or you may just loosen the spigot and run clear water through it to clean it.
Advantages
The RoJaus is a conversation piece and is fun to use. The self-serve spigot encourages people to try the wine, which is why you will see it at wine shops and restaurants selling wine (or selling the RoJaus). It is also a good way to serve a larger-than-normal, novelty bottle like a Jeroboam (four-bottle capacity) which can't be handled comfortably on its own.
Disadvantages
The RoJaus is expensive, retailing for about $180 or more. You will need a place to display it. Even if you refrigerate and use the clear glass ball, pouring a wine briefly over it does little to chill the wine. A great red wine in need of decanting might also be too old and fragile to withstand the rough treatment of glugging into a RoJaus. And, there are other ways to aerate a wine---pouring it into any glass vessel, or pouring an individual portion into a wineglass and letting it sit for 10 minutes, would also do.
Tags: glass ball, mesh screen, chill wine, grow they, which will