Decanting Wine
When:

Decanting wine has been a tradition that has been in existence for many years. Originally wines were decanted to remove sediment that had accumulated from the solids of unfiltered wines. The decanting process also adds a certain amount of pageantry to a fine meal complimented by great wine.

Why Decant a Wine?
When wines are produced they originate from grapes or other fruit that have juice, fiber and seeds. During the winemaking process the solids (must), is pressed to remove the juice. In doing so, some of the solids will be left in the juice. When a wine is racked or transferred from barrel to barrel without filtering, there will be a certain amount of solids left in the juice. When the wine is bottled and stored, the sediment will settle around the neck of the bottle. Most red wine bottles have a sharp angle on the bottle rather than a gentler slope of the bottle. When a wine is stored on its side at a 120 degree angle, the sediment will collect in a small area.

Today’s production methods often include a filtering or ‘fining’ process to remove most or all of the sediment. Some might argue that some of the flavor is removed with such refined filtration.

A key to the need for decanting a specific wine may be on the description of the wine on the label. If the description says it is unfiltered, the wine may benefit from decanting to reduce the sediment in the bottle. A visual inspection of the bottle and its contents by holding the bottle to the light will indicate the sediment.

White wines are usually not decanted but can add a festive mood with a beautiful decanter on the table.

Decanting older wines is a common practice to remove sediment and some bitterness which will be unpleasant in the mouth. It is common for older wines to be decanted just before serving due to their more delicate structure.  Decanting younger wines may produce a better wine by aerating the wine to soften the tannins by allowing the wine to ‘breathe’. Tasting notes on the bottle often give instructions on preparing the wine for serving.

In my experience good younger wines become softer and better with decanting. Some may describe the younger undecanted wine as chewy or astringent. Middle aged wines become even better and older wines should be decanted to simply remove sediment.

Vintage Ports are often decanted to reduce sediment.

Here is a sketch of how heavy or light a wine may be considered. This is just a generalization. Some Zinfandels are heavier than Cabernets. Use this guide to determine the likelihood of a wine benefiting from decanting. The heavier the wine and newer the release, the more likely the wine will benefit from decanting.

Decanting Wine
The How To:

Before decanting wine, look through the bottle to determine if there is sediment in the bottle. If so, let the bottle rest in an upright position for an hour or more to allow the sediment to accumulate at the bottom. Do not shake the bottle to free any sediment from the side of the bottle.

Open the bottle with disturbing the wine as little as possible. Place a light source under the neck of the bottle as to observe the wine and sediment flowing towards the neck of the bottle. A candle or small flashlight will be enough light for this task. Slowly pour the wine from the bottle to the decanter until any sediment approaches the neck. If the wine contains no sediment, the wine may be poured into the decanter without the light or careful observation.

Some hosts will perform this ritual out the sight of guests and some will make the decanting a part of the ritual itself.

If the process has been accomplished properly, there will be less than a half glass remaining in the bottle containing the sediment. The remaining wine in the bottle could be used in a gravy or sauce for a beef dish.

For the final presentation of the wine, offer the cork and bottle to the guests with the decanted wine.

Decanters can be as simple or as elaborate as you desire. A simple crystal water pitcher could be used or an elaborately cut decanter. The object is to present the finest wine that is possible. Expensive or inexpensive wines can be presented with certain flair to enhance the party or dining experience.

Future Columns:
I would like to write about unique, large, inexpensive or elaborate wine shops. If you email me information including any links, I’d like to research them. I do not take any compensation for my reviews or opinions. They are mainly done from visits or experiences in researching wines.

Chef Bill Waring is a Personal Chef and resides in San Antonio, Texas. His website is www.thyme-n-wine.com

ChefBill@thyme-n-wine.com