Let’s uncork the mystery surrounding decanting.  Why do we decant wine?  Many people decant to simply separate wine from sediment.  The majority of wine drinkers decant to aerate the wine.  Decanting exposes wine to air, which oxygenates the wine.  In this process a chemical reaction occurs that releases flavors and aromas.  Young wines that have tight closed structures, open after decanting.  With these young wines, you can decant multiple times to expose the wine to more air.  Even very inexpensive wines taste measurably better after this process.

The basic definition of decanting is the process of pouring the contents from one vessel into another.  As simple as it sounds, this part of the wine experience can be very intimidating to many wine drinkers.

To begin, decant your bottle of wine just before serving it.  If it is a particularly tannic wine, such as Bordeaux or Chateaneuf-du-Pape, two hours before is ideal. Wines that I prefer to decant are: Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet blends, Syrah, and Syrah blends.

There are unlimited shapes, sizes, styles, and prices of decanters to choose from.   Some decanters look like a basic glass pitcher while others are pieces of art unto themselves.  Experiment with different decanters and different wines to find what you enjoy the most.

For me, I enjoy the ritual of pouring my glass of wine from a beautiful decanter.  Part of the fun of wine is creating the ambiance for your special moment to relax and enjoy.

~ Cheers

~ Lets keep the conversation going and the wine flowing!