The
idea of decanting brings
images of blue bloods standing
around a cocktail table
with dozens of beautiful
crystal bottles staring
back at them. I used to
think that people decanted
their wine just to look
“fancy”. This
may be true for some, but
the real reason that wine
began being decanted is
because there was no filtration
system in place for wine
back in the day. The wine
that would be poured from
the barrel would contain
a considerable amount of
sediment and a system needed
to be put in place to remove
this before drinking. Now
most of our wines are filtered
to a very clear state and
we don't have to decant
to remove sediment but do
it to enhance flavor prior
to drinking.
When
to decant wine?
1.
Decant if your wine
has sediment -
Wines deposit sediment as
a natural part of aging,
some more than others. Decanting
the wine can help to separate
the clear wine from the
sediment. Decanting the
wine also introduces air
into the wine — letting
the wine breathe —
releasing the aromas and
enhancing flavors, particularly
useful for red wines that
are a little harsh.
2.
If your wine has
been aging for a long time
- Decanting old wines, just
prior to serving, helps
to ensure that the wines’
clarity and brilliance are
not obscured by any deposit
that may have developed
over time (pour slowly and
avoid decanting the last
ounce).
3.
If your wine if
very young - Decant
young wines as much as several
hours before they are served
to give the wine a chance
to breath, simulating a
stage of development that
might normally be acquired
after years of aging (pour
quickly, even up-ending
the bottle – the idea
is to expose the wine to
air).
4.
Just for fun!
- I like to decant just
to see if mine wine in the
decanter tastes different
than the wine I poured right
out of the bottle. Why not!
Decanters are also pretty
so if you are having a party
why not show them off.
How
to Decant Wine?
How
to Decant Aged Wine
For old wines with sediment
one needs to be very careful
when pouring the wine into
a decanter. First, stand
the bottle up for several
hours to allow the sediment
to settle at the bottom.
Fine sediment will take
longer to settle to the
bottom of the bottle.
Use a lit candle or lamp
if you can't see where the
sediment is in the bottle.
Hold the bottle of wine
so that the area just below
the neck of the wine bottle
can be seen through the
light while pouring. Ever
so slowly begin pouring
the aged wine into the decanter.
Be patient. Hold the bottle
as much as possible perpendicular
to the candle. As the last
one-third of the wine is
poured, carefully watch
for sediment. Stop pouring
when any sediment appears
in the neck of the bottle.
How
to Decant Young Red Wine
For young red wines, splash
the wine into the decanter.
The more it splashes into
the decanter, the more it
comes in contact with oxygen.
Let the wine settle and
rest for a short time.
How
Long to decant?
If you are decanting your
wine in order to let it
breathe you will usually
want it to sit in the decanter
1/2 hour to 1 hour before
drinking. Your goal is for
the wine to be giving off
aromas. If it's not releasing
flavors into the air, it's
going to taste still and
blah. There is however a
point where you can let
your wine decant too long.
You would not want your
wine to sit out at room
temperature for 8 hours
or more. At this point the
wine will be come oxidized
and begin to taste more
like vinegar and/or sherry.
Remember, back in the old
says wine was kept at about
50 degrees so being at 70+
for a substantial amount
of time would be bad for
the wine.
What
Kind of Decanter?
Wine
decanter design varies from
the purely function to extravagantly
decorated, but sometimes
unusual design and functionality
can go hand-in-hand as in
the Orbital Decanter that,
when removed from its base,
will sit elegantly on your
table while a gentle orbital
movement increases the breathing
of your wine with minimal
disturbance. But the basic
point of the decanter is
to let air into the wine
and to remove the sediment
so whichever type you prefer
is the one you should chose.
There really is no right
or wrong decanter.
Of
course, you can always let
your wine breathe by just
taking the cork out of the
bottle, but very little
air touches the surface
and it will take much longer
to achieve the desired effect.
Some experts prefer to let
wine breath in the wine
glass but I personally find
it hard to wait patiently
once it's been poured.
Great
video to see how decanting
influences your wine taste.
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