Decanting a wine
- when it is having heavy deposit. The deposit may not indicate a fault and it is likely formed during the aging process of good red wines.
- if it is a young wine with high tannins. In this case, aeration (during decanting) helps smooth the tannins and “unveil” the aromas. Tip 1: Decanting may not be necessary in this case since you can actually pour the wine directly in a glass and swirl it gently. This should have the same “aeration” effect. Tip 2: “Airing” a wine by opening its bottle some time before consuming has no or very minimal effects. This is because only a tiny portion of the wine is in contact with air.
The Correct Steps of Decanting Wine
- Remove the wine horizontally from its rack and place it in a decanting basket (if you have one) or hold carefully to avoid agitating the deposit in the bottom of the wine.
- Remove the top of capsule and cork very gently.
- Take the bottle from the basket carefully so the deposit is not disturbed.
- Hold the wine in front of a light, pour it carefully into the decanter until you see the deposit near the neck of the bottle. At this point, stop pouring the wine.