Why Decant Wine

Filed in archive Wine Resources on August 18, 2006

You know, I'm pretty lazy, and that includes Decanting my wine. I know we have a decanter (or two) around here some place, but we just never seem to use them.

One reason for this is because if you pour it all out, you tend to drink it all and sometimes I just want a glass or two. Plus, it's one more thing on our already cluttered kitchen counter. Another excuse for my laziness is that we like to read the wine labels, and this includes going back and reading them again after taking a few sips.

But, really, I guess I should be doing this. From Pour It Out -- The Art of Decanting Wine:

Decanting wine is the simple act of pouring the wine out of the bottle and into another container. As simple as it may be, there are several reasons to do this.

One is to separate the sediments or residue from the wine. Sediments are harmless but taste very bitter and are common in older red wines. Second is to expose the wine to oxygen. Aerating young wines before drinking speeds up the process of aging, softening the wine and enhancing its flavors. Third is to add a touch of ambience to the night. By presenting wine in a decanter, it looks great on the dinner table and adds flair to the event -- an instant centerpiece.

According to Zollweg, decanting isn't very time consuming and all types of wine can benefit from it, including some dessert wines such as ports and clarets. White wines tend to be decanted less often than reds, but doing so adds a touch of romance to the table. Since older red wine has had plenty of time to age on its own, it should be decanted about 30 minutes prior to serving. Whereas young red wines can be decanted up to several hours before serving.

"Think of it this way, the wine has been hibernating -- sometimes for many, many years," said Zollweg. "Pouring wine in a decanter wakes it up -- allowing it to breathe and giving it a chance to exhibit its full persona."