Why decant wine?

Serving wine is truly an art form.

Decanting an old vintage can sometimes be essential to fully appreciate its taste. Discover why you should decant wine, how to properly decant a bottle, and the difference between decanting and carafing wine.

What is Wine Decanting?

Decanting literally means transferring the contents of a wine bottle into another container, called a decanter, before serving. In oenology, wine decanting involves gently pouring the contents of a bottle into a specific carafe to separate any sediment from the clear wine.

How to Decant Wine?

To decant wine properly, follow these steps:

1. Position the Bottle: Place your bottle upright for 24 hours or more before decanting so that sediments and deposits can settle at the bottom of the bottle, making the separation of clear wine easier.

2. Prepare a Carafe: Have a carafe or another suitable container ready into which you will pour the wine. There are specific models of carafes designed for decanting.

3. Open the Bottle: Open the bottle just before serving, avoiding any shaking.

4. Use a Candle: Light a candle and place it just below the neck of the bottle.

5. Pour the Wine: Gently pour the wine along the sides of the carafe, pouring continuously without stopping. Once you reach the lower half of the bottle, pour more slowly.

6. Stop When Necessary: Stop pouring as soon as you see sediments or deposits reaching the shoulder of the bottle. The candle flame helps you see them. If the deposits are not significant, you can stop decanting as soon as you notice the wine beginning to cloud.

Benefits of Decanting Wine

Decanting wine can be necessary when tannic residues formed in an aged wine might spoil the tasting experience. Decanting allows you to separate the liquid from the solid deposit.

Decanting is especially important for red wines. After aging in the bottle, the color and tannins can solidify and create sediment. This is a natural and harmless phenomenon. Decanting ensures a more enjoyable tasting experience without sediment in the mouth or glass.

Decanting vs. Carafing: What’s the Difference?

You decant an old vintage, while you carafe a young wine. Decanting a wine helps remove its deposits. During decanting, the wine should be poured very gently to avoid disturbing the sediments and to prevent excessive oxygenation of an old vintage.

Carafing a wine serves a different purpose than decanting. Carafing aerates the wine, which is especially useful for young vintages. A young wine will have a more expressive bouquet if it is aerated. Air helps open the wine and enhance its evolution. When carafing, it is crucial to agitate the wine well and ensure it is exposed to a large surface area of air to fully express and develop its aromas before tasting.

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FAQ - Decanting wine

Which wines should you decant?

Decanting mainly concerns red wines built for ageing, which form a deposit after several years in the bottle. On an old vintage, it separates the clear wine from the solidified tannic residue and makes tasting more pleasant, with no particles in the glass.

What is the difference between carafing and decanting a wine?

You decant an old vintage to remove its deposit, pouring very gently so as not to over-oxygenate it. A young wine, on the other hand, is carafed to aerate it and open up its bouquet, with plenty of contact with the air.

When should you decant a wine before serving it?

Stand the bottle upright for 24 hours or more before serving, so the sediment can settle at the bottom. Open it just before sitting down to eat, without shaking it, then decant it at the moment of serving.

Why place a candle under the bottle during decanting?

The candle flame, placed under the neck of the bottle, lights up the wine by transparency. This lets you spot the first sediments rising towards the shoulder so you can stop pouring before they fall into the carafe.

Is the deposit at the bottom of a wine bottle dangerous?

No, this deposit is a natural and harmless phenomenon. It comes from the colour and tannins solidifying during ageing in the bottle. Decanting simply sets it aside so you do not find it in the mouth or in the glass.