Is it safe to use a lead crystal decanter?
Hello there! I'm Dr. Vinifera, but you can call me Vinny. Ask me your toughest wine questions, from the fine points of etiquette to the science of winemaking. And don't worry, I'm no wine snob—you can also ask me those "dumb questions" you're too embarrased to ask your wine geek friends! I hope you find my answers educational, empowering and even amusing. And don't forget to check out my most asked questions and my full archives for all my Q&A classics.
Dear Dr. Vinny,
We have some beautiful old Waterford lead crystal decanters which we've rarely used. My wife is afraid to use them for decanting wine because of her perceived risk of lead poisoning. Is this perceived risk justified, or can we decant away?
—Mark Mershon, Miami, Fla.
Dear Mark,
You can decant away, but only if you promise me that you don't use those decanters for long-term wine storage. It takes a long time—months or years—but eventually the acids in the wine will leach some lead from the glass. You'd have to drink a whole bunch of this lead-infected wine to have any dangerous effects. But it's safe to use these decanters for a few hours at a time.
—Dr. Vinny
