08 Jan Why Proper Decanting is a Must
Decanting is a must-have aspect for most wine lovers; it can significantly improve the overall wine tasting experience; it’s got to be done right or you’ll just end up running the wine. The factors that have to be taken into consideration are the kind of wine to be consumed and the style of decanting used. This process is excellent for Bordeaux wine, California wine and Rhone wine as well as a range of other wines too. However, it’s important to keep in view, that decanting isn’t to be used for all wines.
Decanting – What is it?
The Brownian motion principle is behind the decanting process; it’s based on the fact that any drifting particles which are suspended in a liquid (we are talking about wine in this case), impacts its texture and aroma. It also helps to remove any tartrates or crystallized granules from unfiltered wines or ones that haven’t been cold-stabilized & fined.
Decanting – The Steps
#1 Speed Decanting
Pour your wine at least once/twice between two decanters. You can also pour it between the decanter and your wine bottle with the use of a funnel
#2 Swirling
This motion raises the air/wine ratio
#3 Pour it into a Wine Glass and simply enjoy
The Benefits
The primary reason why wines should be decanted is because it helps remove the sedimentation; however, there are a number of benefits of decanting wine and why proper decanting is a must:
Many wines including Bordeaux have a certain amount of sedimentation. When you decant these wines, the esters or aromas in the wine are released. It’s common to find sedimentation in red wines and this proportion also increases with age
If you are cracking a Châteauneuf-du-Pape (which is one of the finest wines you can find), you want to ensure you taste every stage. The best way to enjoy classic wines is to carefully peel them back – one layer at a time and when you decant wines, that’s exactly what you are able to do.
When a fine wine is exposed to the air, it is able to express its notes in a much better way.
Connoisseurs prefer to decant wine because they want it to behave in a specific way. While some red wines can be quite tart & tannic straight from the bottle, whites tend to be direct, too linear or just too drawn-out. However, when you decant wine, it gets tempered well and you are able to decipher a much greater depth of fruit flavours.
Very simply, decanting wine has some distinct advantages. When you decant a wine, it eliminates certain highly aromatic compounds within the wine. It’s also a great way to get rid of aromas that aren’t too great such as sewage or matchstick. These and some other highly pungent notes tend to mask the subtle & nice flavours & aromas that many wines have. Decanting a wine allows these aromas to come to the fore and the astringent tannins are also less perceptible.
Decanting is a Skill
Decanting wine isn’t something that should be left to a novice. There are a number of nuances in decanting wine; and every wine behaves differently when it is decanted. Wines that are younger may have to be decanted for a little longer than fully-aged ones. When decanting the latter, use finesse and skill. These have already been aged for a long time and they don’t require an artificial boost. Overexposure can impact a wine negatively.
If you are planning to store wine, its best to cellar it the way it should be; in a custom-designed, temperature & light-controlled cellar. For the best residential wine cellars, call Signature Cellars at 02 9340 7515. You can also connect with us via this contact form.
Thanks for reading,
Neil Smallman
Signature Cellars
02 9340 7515
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