Find out why, when, and how to employ this easyand free!technique.
Decanting might sound fancy, but it’s just pouring wine from the original bottle into another vessel.
You don’t even need to buy a special decanter (more on that below).
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It has many benefits for the aroma, flavor, and even the texture of wine.
The only tricky thing about decanting is that it’s not always a good idea.
Read on for the details.
Alison Bickel & Andy Christensen
What Is a Wine Decanter?
Classic decanters are typically made of glass and are hourglass-shaped with a wider base than the top.
These days, decanters come in all sorts of interesting shapes and styles.
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There are bendable cleaners to help clean decanters with hard-to-reach spots.
Should All Wines Be Decanted?
“Definitely not,” says Burke.
I don’t decant inexpensive sparkling wines.
Over-exposure to oxygen for a fragile, delicate old wine can shut it downfor good."
What If You Don’t Have a Decanter?
As for the trend of using a blender to aerate wine by hyper-decanting it, Burke isn’t sold.
“I wouldn’t use a blender, but I’m notConnor Roy,” she jokes.
How Long Should a Wine Stay in a Decanter?
“If someone tells you they decanted a wine for three days, be wary,” she says.
Ask your local wine shop for guidance if you’re unsure about how long to decant a specific wine.
Decanting also helps remove sediment that can gather at the bottom of a wine bottle.
