Costco Is Selling A Williams Sonoma Wine Decanter Copycat For A Great Deal

Wine decanters are stylish and functional tools for improving your tasting experience. If you'd like one for your wine selection, you can purchase a high-quality wine decanter at Costco and spend less than you'd think on a quality addition to your bar set and table setting. The Rabbit Wine Decanter at Costco sells for $48, and it's nearly identical to the $70 Rabbit Pura Wine Decanter & Strainer sold at Williams Sonoma.

The base of Costco's decanter is 8 inches in diameter and 11.25 inches tall, which is a bit larger than the 6.5-inch diameter, 8-inch tall Williams Sonoma wine decanter. Both are designed to hold 750 milliliters — one bottle of wine. The Rabbit brand's Borosilicate glass decanter sits on an Acacia wood coaster and comes with a gold-toned micro-perforated strainer that sits on top of the spout. The reviews on the Costco website are largely positive, with a 4.6-star rating. One reviewer commented, "This decanter exceeds expectations. The styling and detail are pleasing to the eye and highly functional."

Some negative reviews concerned the absence of components that would complete the set, such as a stopper or pour spout. If you're new to the concept of decanting wine, perhaps even wondering what a wine decanter is (and if you even need one), Costco will give you the opportunity to taste the effects of using it for your wine without breaking the bank. With that said, we have some tips for knowing how and when you should decant a bottle of wine.

While it's true that a stylish-looking wine decanter adds to the ambiance of a dining occasion, there are also practical reasons you might enjoy owning one. A wine decanter is essentially a vessel you pour a bottle of wine into, while some also have a strainer. This feature removes sediment that can build up on the bottom of some — mainly older — bottles of wine. 

Both the Rabbit Wine Decanter at Costco and the Rabbit Pura at Williams Sonoma have strainers to remove sediment, but there are differences in how this accessory aerates wine in each decanter when you pour wine through it. The Williams Sonoma decanter oxygenates the wine by allowing it to flow through the wide basin and narrow neck, similar to a traditional filter-less decanter. The Rabbit decanter from Costco has a special aerating funnel in the strainer accessory, which creates a waterfall effect inside the vessel, oxygenating the wine.

This is important because many red wines need oxygen to help develop flavors and aromas. A freshly opened bottle often has muted flavor profiles, and decanting the wine helps bring these flavors to the surface. Keep in mind that wine should not sit in the decanter for too long, as the flavor-enhancing oxygen will, after a couple of hours, cause the wine to oxidize and taste more like vinegar. If you're new to decanting wine, using the less costly Rabbit Wine Decanter will allow you to learn the process, and you can purchase an extra bottle with the savings.