Mar 16 2009
To Decant, or Not To Decant…. That is the Question.
You’re wandering the isles of your favorite store and you come across a beautiful crystal wine decanter. You buy it, take it home, and at your next dinner party you decant the wine you’ve chosen for that evening.
Why? Good question.
When it really comes down to it one of the basic reasons for decanting a wine is presentation. Decanting is the most common way to separate the sediment often found in some of the more mature wines, from the wine itself. Sediment occurs more often in red wines and/or older, well aged wines and is basically a break down of certain particles found in wine. More often than not sediment is the result of wines that haven’t been meticulously filtered over and over again during the wine making process. Some wine makers do not employ this rigorous filtering process as not doing so allows the wine more opportunity to develop over time in the bottle, thus more sediment.
When wine is poured into a decanter, the sediment tends to stay in the bottle, leaving what has been poured as a clear presentation of your wine. Though it is not very palatable, it is harmless. Some believe that the practice of decanting a wine also helps improve the quality, as well as the taste of the wine, since decanting affords a greater surface exposure of the wine to oxygen.
“But wait!”, you say, “Oxygen is wine’s enemy”. This is very true. Extended exposure to oxygen promotes the growth of certain microbes that grow in the wine, turning it to “vinegar”. This is why a wine is usually only good for a few days after it’s been opened. However, some experts believe that a limited amount of exposure to oxygen actually improves the quality and softens flavors and characteristics of some wines. This is what is known as letting a wine breathe. It usually isn’t necessary to let a wine “breathe” for more than 30 minutes. I personally think this is a good practice for younger vintages of wine, because I am a true believer that it does help develop some of those flavors. It shouldn’t be necessary at all to let older vintages “breathe” since older vintages have already spent a good amount of time developing in the bottle. Again these are my personal opinions, and it’s really up to the wine drinker to decide what they prefer.
Another great reason for decanting your wine goes back again to presentation. Decanters dress up your table and really make guest feel special. You don’t have to spend a great deal of money on a bottle of wine, simply decanting it makes it look and feel expensive.
There is a large variety of great decanters out there. They come in various shapes and sizes, and can range in price from as much as $300 to as little as $30. Here are a few examples: (you can click on the product picture for more information and purchasing information)
Riedel Decanter - Advertiser: Zappos.com Price: $35.00
Luigi Bormioli Decanter - Advertiser: Cooking.com Price: $29.95
Riedel - Decanter - Advertiser:Zappos.com Price: $331.00
The price you pay is going to vary depending on the maker and the amount of lead crystal used to create the decanter. It could also vary depending on whether the decanter was machine made or hand blown. While it’s not entirely necessary to spend a large amount of money, a nice decanter should definitely be a part of your wine bar inventory.
Until next time…. happy tasting!
