What do you have to pay attention to when decanting? We show you what to look out for so that you can get everything out of your wine at your next wine evening!
What does decanting mean?
Decanting is the technical term for transferring a wine from the original bottle into a carafe. The reason for this is that with older wines, suspended matter has settled at the bottom of the bottle, which should no longer get into the wine. These can damage the taste of the wine and cloud it. In addition, decanting enriches the wine with oxygen, which allows its bouquet to unfold. As a general rule, the older a wine is, the more it should be decanted – at least 30 minutes before drinking. With young wines, it is often sufficient to decant it into the carafe 10 to 15 minutes beforehand or not to decant it at all. If you are unsure whether your wine is old enough to decant or not, it is best to ask the seller or get a guidebook on wine science – here you will usually also find information on the respective grape variety and whether it should be aged or not.
Why decant?
There are several reasons why you should decant a wine. On the one hand, it can serve to supply the wine with air, which gives it more flavour and depth. Secondly, it can serve to remove sediment from the wine, which is especially important with older wines. If you want to decant a wine, you should first make sure that you have a suitable decanter vessel. The vessel should be large enough to hold all the wine and it should have a narrow opening so that the wine does not escape too quickly. Then pour the wine slowly and carefully into the vessel so that no sediment enters the decanter with it. Then let the wine rest for a few minutes before enjoying it.
How do you decant wines correctly?
White wines and rosé wines should only be decanted briefly so that they do not oxidise too much. Red wines, on the other hand, should be decanted for longer to give them time to open up and develop their aromas. With all wines, however, it is important to decant them carefully so that they do not shake or rattle too much. When you decant a wine, you simply give it time and space to develop. So decant it into a decanter or other vessel before you strain it into glasses. This gives the wine time to open up and release its aromas.
Which wines are suitable for decanting?
Wines for decanting are usually a little more expensive and of higher quality. These wines have a high tannin content, which means they mature more slowly and have a longer storage potential. Some of the most popular wines to decant are Bordeaux, Burgundy and Rioja. When choosing a wine to decant, consider how old it is and what flavour it has. The older the wine, the more oxygen it needs. If you decant a young wine, this can harm its taste and make it appear bitter, for example.
Conclusion – Is decanting worth it?
In conclusion, decanting wines does indeed make sense and offers many advantages. First of all, the wine is aerated and can thus develop its full aroma. In addition, any sediment in the wine can be separated so that you do not have to drink it with the wine. However, it is important to decant properly and not to wait too long before pouring the wine. Otherwise, the wine may oxidise too much and lose its flavour.
Recent Comments