Decanting

If you have ever watched a specially trained person slowly pouring wine from a bottle into a carafe, then pours it into the glasses of guests, then you’re already familiar with the procedure, referred to as “decanting”. But the question is: do we really need decanting or just a nice wine custom?

Wine experts still can not agree in opinion – for what need decanting. Why not pour wine directly from the bottle, and why add in the process a decanter?

Returning to the history, the role of decanters is clear. After all, before the wine is stored in barrels, and serving it in these was not very convenient, had to pour the wine into the decanter, and in this way to put on the table. With the advent bottles this custom was elevated to the rank of “good taste”, which is still in demand among fine wine lovers.

There is, however, a practical argument in favor of decanting. It is needed to separate the wine from the sludge generated in the process of maturation (the word “decanting”, incidentally, means the separation of solid substance from liquid by mechanical means, solution discharge). It is believed that wine sediment can spoil your impression of the drink, although he does not pose a serious threat to your health and serves as a true indicator of what is in front of you is a “serious” drink.

Mandatory decanting generally require the Bordeaux red wines, vintage port, and a number of other high-quality red wines. On the market there are also young wines with small particles in the bottle. As it turns out, when the manufacturer deliberately ignored the filtration before bottling to preserve the aroma and taste of the drink. The sediment in white wines is also not considered as a defect and decanting is necessary only to improve the aesthetic appearance of the beverage.

The pouring wine into the decanter from the bottle will help the wine “having trouble breathing” for a full disclosure of its bouquet. This process in the language of sommeliers is called “aeration” and it is often carried out in conjunction with the decanting. Without aeration might as well do the young red and white wines, including sherry, wine, widespread commercial production, pink, champagne, port categories ruby and Tony, as well as Madera.

Aeration of older wines requires some training and depends on your luck. You see, no one with certainty can say how much, for example, in the decanter will hold your 20-year-old Bordeaux. It may last for a few hours… or how minutes. However, if you are 100 sure about the quality of the drink, the likelihood that aeration will spoil it for much less.

Before you start decanting, you need to place the bottle in a wine basket for a few days, so all the sludge gathered at the bottom of the bottle. Then prepare a decanter, a candle or a flashlight. Carefully open the bottle without changing its position (so as not to disturb the precipitate), and then lift up so that the light source falling on the neck of the bottle and begin to slowly pour the wine into a decanter. The whole procedure must go at once to the whole sediment remained at the bottom of the bottle.

Light you will need in the final stage to track the approach of the sediment to the neck. This technique will help you to pour the maximum amount of wine into a carafe, instead of leaving it in the bottle. Important: the approximation of the solid residue to the neck marks the appearance of a smoky liquid. This liquid can be flowed into the decanter, but make sure that did not sediment.

If you don’t have wine basket – not a problem. Enough to hold the bottle in an upright position, and then follow the same sequence of actions.

Speaking about the classification of decanters can distinguish 2 main types: for old and young wines. Young wines need a strong aeration, because it helps to reveal the bouquet and make it more velvety. That is why decanters for young wines are distinguished funnel-shaped neck and a thickened bottom.

Old wines, as mentioned before, aeration is needed to a lesser extent, so for them decanters have a narrow neck and a spherical shape. All this is necessary .in order to minimize the contact of wine with air.

Decanting will help you to expand your wine experience, and will also help keep guests entertained, however, reread the article again before you are going to spend it. All the best.