5 tips for decanting your wine like a pro

You’re probably familiar with the principle of decanting, which involves pouring the contents of a young wine to help its aromas develop more quickly. However, this process is far from being a trivial task. Here are 5 tips to decant your wine like a true pro.

Tip 1: Test the Wine in Your Glass
Tonight, you’re hosting friends for dinner. You’ve bought everything you need, including the wine, but you’re unsure if you should decant it or not. Here’s some advice from sommelier Gwilherm de Cerval that should help: “Pour yourself a glass and smell the wine. Swirl it in the glass and then smell it again. If its aromas have developed, I strongly recommend decanting it.”

Tip 2: Use a Decanter with a Wide Neck
The first thing to do is choose the right decanter. First, opt for a decanter with a sufficiently wide neck to avoid spilling wine. It’s also important to ensure that the base of the decanter is wide, as the wine needs space to open up and fully develop.

Tip 3: Let the Wine Rest for 2 Hours
Just like pancake batter, it’s necessary to let the magic happen for several hours to achieve optimal aeration of your wine. Ideally, decant it about 2 hours before serving. However, be careful not to decant it too far in advance: it could oxidize and you’d end up losing a good wine, which would be a shame.

Tip 4: Serve the Wine Like Tea!
Once your wine has rested in the decanter, it’s time to serve it! If you want to optimize aeration until the last minute, we recommend serving the wine in the same manner as tea, i.e., holding the decanter as high above the glass as possible, which will surely impress your friends! But we do suggest practicing before attempting such a demonstration, to avoid staining your neighbor’s brand new white shirt…

Tip 5: Clean Your Decanter Thoroughly!
Thanks to all these tips, you’ve successfully decanted your wine and your dinner was a big success. Well done! However, there’s one last step not to overlook: cleaning your decanter. This might seem obvious, but there are specific rules to follow. First, wash your decanter with hot water without using dish soap. Then, let it dry upside down. Finally, place a large sheet of paper towel inside the decanter to prevent residue and unpleasant odors.

There you go, you now have all the tools to decant like a true pro!

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FAQ - Decanting your wine

What is the difference between decanting and aerating a wine?

Aerating means pouring a young wine to develop its aromas more quickly. Decanting usually refers to separating an older wine from its sediment. You aerate a wine to open it up, and decant it to clarify it.

How long should you decant a wine?

Allow about 2 hours before serving for optimal aeration. Avoid decanting it too far in advance, as the wine can oxidize and lose its qualities, which would be a shame.

Which wines should be decanted?

Young wines benefit the most, as decanting helps them open up. To check whether a wine needs it, pour a glass, smell the wine, swirl it and smell again: if the aromas have developed, decant it.

Which decanter should you choose for your wine?

Choose a decanter with a sufficiently wide neck so you can pour without spilling, and make sure the base is wide. The wine needs space to open up and fully develop.

How do you clean a wine decanter properly?

Wash it with hot water without using dish soap, then let it dry upside down. Finally, place a sheet of paper towel inside to prevent residue and unpleasant odors.