Decanting Wine: How and When
You do not need a crystal vessel to decant properly. The goal is to move the liquid from its glass house to another container without disturbing the quiet life the sediment has led at the bottom of the bottle.
Patience is your primary tool.
If you are decanting for sediment, the 24-hour vertical rest is non-negotiable. If you are rushing, the sediment will remain suspended and muddy your glass.
- Decanter or wide-bottomed glass carafe
- Light source (a small flashlight or phone light)
- Wine opener
What goes in.
- 1Bottle of red wine
The neck check
Place your light source directly beneath the shoulder of the bottle as you pour. This makes the transition from clear liquid to murky sediment visible the moment it enters the neck.
The method.
Stand the bottle upright
Place the bottle vertically at least one day before you intend to serve it. This allows all solids to migrate to the bottom punt.
Prepare the bottle
Remove the foil and wipe the cork area clean with a cloth to ensure no debris falls into the wine during extraction.
Begin the pour
Hold the bottle at the base. Pour the wine into your decanter in one slow, continuous motion. Do not stop and start, as this agitation kicks up the settled solids.
Monitor the sediment
Watch the neck of the bottle as you pour. As soon as you see the dark, cloudy silt moving toward the glass opening, stop pouring immediately.
When it doesn't go to plan.
If you are decanting a young wine specifically for air, you do not need to worry about sediment; pour it aggressively to encourage oxygen contact.
If you lack a decanter, a clean pitcher or even a wide-mouth carafe works just as well.
Once decanted, a wine will start to oxidize. Drink it within a few hours for the clearest expression of its character.
The ones that keep coming up.
Do I need to decant white wine?
Rarely. Decanting is almost exclusively for reds with age or young, tannic wines that need to shed some of their initial stiffness.
Can I use a coffee filter to strain the sediment?
Avoid this. Filters strip away the texture of the wine and can impart a paper-like taste to the finish.
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