Harrods to sell £1,299 ‘smart decanter’

A ‘smart’ decanter which uses patented oxygenation technology to reduce decanting time from hours to minutes has gone on sale at Harrods.

The iSommelier is currently available exclusively in the UK at Harrods (Photo: iFavine)

Called the iSommelier’s, the device’s retail listing at Harrods is its first in the UK. It is available in the wine and home appliances departments of the celebrated London department store, priced at £1,299.

Launched by the Bordeaux-based iFavine, the iSommelier works by aerating wine with a constant flow of purified, medical-grade oxygen via a specially designed glass decanter.

The technology for the device was developed in France, Australia, China and the US and runs from an app holding pre and self-programmed aeration settings.

The free-to-download app also gives access to an iFavine network of wine professionals and enthusiasts which gathers detailed information about wines and wineries and provides guidance directly from winemakers, including recommended decanting times.

“Oxygenation is key at two points in a wine’s life: during winemaking and at the point of drinking,” says iFavine UK sales and marketing manager Andrew Chapman.

“Ambient air has just 21% O2; the iSommelier gives air containing highly concentrated oxygen by filtering pollutants and moisture, and removing most of the nitrogen.

“Importantly, the unit also evenly diffuses the oxygen throughout the entire volume of the wine, rather than just the surface area. If a winemaker takes so much care during vinification, why wouldn’t you during consumption?”

One early tster of the device, Eric Zwiebel MS from the Summer Lodge Hotel in Dorset, said: “Since receiving the iSommelier I have used it every single day in the restaurant.

“Often a customer will ask for a wine that you know needs at least an hour of breathing time, but that isn’t always possible. It is now – and means we can ensure our diners really are drinking wines that are at their peak.”