![]() Simply put, decanting involves pouring wine (or any liquid) from one container into the decanter. But it’s also a rather mysterious object that inspires questions about how to use it, and what function decanting actually serves. The wine decanter is a fairly standard vessel found in many glassware collections. So, feel free to skip decanting your Chardonnay, but if Malbec is on the menu, bring out the decanter- for sake of showmanship and flavor. White wines, however, don’t benefit from decanting because they aren’t aged in bottles long before serving. Y: Red wines acquire their chemical characteristics because they are held in relatively oxygen- free environments during aging in bottles. ![]() Now, the wine’s tastes and smells will be more discernible than the astringent alcohol. These volatiles are a combination of organic compounds that add aromas-such as fruit, oak, tars, esters, and aldehydes.ĭ: Decanting a young wine incorporates oxygen that helps to evaporate any harsh volatiles. Y: Decanting can also help to release volatile compounds in wine that mask its subtle flavors. This is usually only required for high-end wines, with a vintage date over 10 years. But over time, a wine may deposit crystal tartrates and pigmented organic substances called tannins that collect as sediment at the bottom of a bottle.ĭ: Decanting separates out those sediments that build up. Y: As wine ages, its organic molecules grow larger through polymerization, which reduces its astringency and makes the wine softer, less chalky. While some decanting serves more to ornament the presentation of a dining experience, decanting certain wines has an evident effect on their aroma and drinkability. So, what does it mean to decant wine?ĭ: Simply put, decanting involves pouring wine (or any liquid) from one container into the decanter. Y: The wine decanter is a fairly standard vessel found in many glassware collections.
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