Why to decant wine?
Decanting means separating the solid from the liquid, a practice used for wine with sediments in it. The tool used in this process is called a decanter, a crystal or glass recipient which has been historically used by the Europeans. At the time the wine was not filtered, so the use of the decanter was very common. Nowadays it leaves the vineyard perfectly clean and it is not necessary to use a decanter as it were years ago.
It is normal for dregs to appear in red wines as the years pass. That is a natural sign of maturing, it is part of the life of the drink. These dregs are composed by dyestuff content as well as tannins and other components. When that happens, the wine loses substances which are important for its structure.
We can say it losts its vertebral spine, and that makes it fragile. The presence of these sediments informs us that the wine is coming to the end of its life. Based on that, the belief some people have regarding older wine bottles is a myth, since each product has its own life cycle – which can be longer or shorter depending on its characteristics. Only a small percentage of wine have great potential for being kept in the cellar for a long time.
The question is: should we or should we not decant the wine, and what is the result of this action? Nothing stops us from drinking a wine with sediments, although the presence may be responsible for altering some perceptions, as it happens with the texture, the structure and the aromas, for example. In some cases it is even possible to feel bitter and astringent tastes.
In order to escape from these alterations, the best is to carefully pour the bottle content into a decanter so when you serve it, only the claen wine will be poured into the wineglass and the sediments will remain in the decanter or the bottle. As I have mentioned before, this wine is fragile and under these circumstances it should be served soon, especially if it has been kept for a number of years. In this case, the prolongued contact with the air may make it loosen its bouquet. Oxygen gives life to the wine, but it can also end it if the drink is exposed to it for too long.
A little bit of air
The decanter is also used for the oxygenation of some wines, usually younger ones, which are aromatically ´closed´ or have their tannins young and hard, somewhat astringent.
In many cases we are told a bottle of wine should be opened half an hour before it is consumed. That way, the wine oxygenates and becomes aromatically and gustativelly more expressive. In truth this oxygenation is little, since the wine has little contact with the air. The bottle´s cavity is too small and we would need a lot of time in order to produce the desired effect.
It is best to serve it in a glass and leave it breathe for a few minutes before drinking it. That was it will have much more contact with the air, especially is we turn it in the wine glass (as in a tasting). Then we will have a greater aeration process, even greater if we pour it into a decanter for 30 minutes or an hour before we serve it.
Some wine which are not mature enough may benefit from a prolonged aeration in the decanter. On the other hand, a good quality wine, mature and balanced, may be prejudiced. A long aeration process makes it loose its characteristics. In such cases the drink might taste lighter and softer, at the same time more neutral.
Before taking any decision it is important to taste the wine and see if it is actually necessary to use a decanter.
If you are not sure about the decanter´s use and its benefits, I would recommend you to make a simple test: take two bottler of the same wine. Safe one of the bottlers and pour the content of the other one in a decanter, leaving it there for an hour or so. After that, taste both wines and compare them. That way you are going to taste the effect it is caused by decantion and see which of them you prefer.
Please remember that it is always good to have a decanter at home no matter what, and especially if you are into the drink.
It is normal for dregs to appear in red wines as the years pass. That is a natural sign of maturing, it is part of the life of the drink. These dregs are composed by dyestuff content as well as tannins and other components. When that happens, the wine loses substances which are important for its structure.
We can say it losts its vertebral spine, and that makes it fragile. The presence of these sediments informs us that the wine is coming to the end of its life. Based on that, the belief some people have regarding older wine bottles is a myth, since each product has its own life cycle – which can be longer or shorter depending on its characteristics. Only a small percentage of wine have great potential for being kept in the cellar for a long time.
The question is: should we or should we not decant the wine, and what is the result of this action? Nothing stops us from drinking a wine with sediments, although the presence may be responsible for altering some perceptions, as it happens with the texture, the structure and the aromas, for example. In some cases it is even possible to feel bitter and astringent tastes.
In order to escape from these alterations, the best is to carefully pour the bottle content into a decanter so when you serve it, only the claen wine will be poured into the wineglass and the sediments will remain in the decanter or the bottle. As I have mentioned before, this wine is fragile and under these circumstances it should be served soon, especially if it has been kept for a number of years. In this case, the prolongued contact with the air may make it loosen its bouquet. Oxygen gives life to the wine, but it can also end it if the drink is exposed to it for too long.
A little bit of air
The decanter is also used for the oxygenation of some wines, usually younger ones, which are aromatically ´closed´ or have their tannins young and hard, somewhat astringent.
In many cases we are told a bottle of wine should be opened half an hour before it is consumed. That way, the wine oxygenates and becomes aromatically and gustativelly more expressive. In truth this oxygenation is little, since the wine has little contact with the air. The bottle´s cavity is too small and we would need a lot of time in order to produce the desired effect.
It is best to serve it in a glass and leave it breathe for a few minutes before drinking it. That was it will have much more contact with the air, especially is we turn it in the wine glass (as in a tasting). Then we will have a greater aeration process, even greater if we pour it into a decanter for 30 minutes or an hour before we serve it.
Some wine which are not mature enough may benefit from a prolonged aeration in the decanter. On the other hand, a good quality wine, mature and balanced, may be prejudiced. A long aeration process makes it loose its characteristics. In such cases the drink might taste lighter and softer, at the same time more neutral.
Before taking any decision it is important to taste the wine and see if it is actually necessary to use a decanter.
If you are not sure about the decanter´s use and its benefits, I would recommend you to make a simple test: take two bottler of the same wine. Safe one of the bottlers and pour the content of the other one in a decanter, leaving it there for an hour or so. After that, taste both wines and compare them. That way you are going to taste the effect it is caused by decantion and see which of them you prefer.
Please remember that it is always good to have a decanter at home no matter what, and especially if you are into the drink.
Author : Mario R. Leonardi
Posted in: 10/16/2017
Last modified: 11/27/2017
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