So, what the heck are those fancy glass wine decanters for anyway?

Are they just for show?

If I want to use one, what wines need to be decanted?

Do you ever decant whites?

These are just a few of the questions that I've been asked over the years. This column will answer these questions and more to help you know when, why and how to decant your next bottle.

Decanters have been around for centuries. Interestingly enough, the reasons for using a decanter haven't changed much at all since their invention during the Roman Empire.

Some shapes are more conducive to oxygenation, others more practical for serving. Whatever style you choose or prefer, the reasons for pouring wine from a bottle into a decanter remain pretty straightforward.

Let's get to the questions ...

Why decant a wine?

When wine is exposed to oxygen, it reacts chemically. The flavors, tannins, acids, sugars that are all locked down in the bottle begin to "open" proportionately to the amount of oxygen exposure. For example, popping a cork and just letting the bottle sit to let the wine "breathe" does very little as the total surface area of wine exposed to oxygen is small. The opened bottle will eventually spoil, but it will take some time.

If, however, you were to pour the bottle into a decanter, not only is the surface area much larger, but all of the wine is exposed to oxygen as it is being poured. Exposure to oxygen will allow the wine to soften and, when done for the appropriate bottle, will significantly increase the way the wine shows.

The other main reason to decant is to remove the natural sediment that occurs in many wines, particularly big reds. Sediment most often collects at the bottom of the bottle so that it can be left behind as the wine is slowly transferred to a decanter.

What wines need to/should be decanted?

This is the most important question, but as with most things wine-related, it largely depends on your taste. One thing to remember as we get started, too much oxygen is the mortal enemy of wine. Just the right amount of breathing is a brilliant thing, but keep in mind that older wines in particular are very sensitive the oxygen and the window of opportunity can close quickly. Some very old wines should not be decanted at all.

Reds


Young reds are rife with burly tannin, punchy acid and brash fruit. If you like to be assaulted by your big Napa Cab, you can skip this section. If, however, you prefer to maximize the quality of your bold young red, decanting up to three or more hours before drinking will make that '05 settle down nicely and it might actually be good with a big hunk of meat.

Since most of us rarely know what we are going to drink three hours ahead of time, decanting immediately before serving will still significantly change the speed at which the wine opens. Also, New World reds especially are made so extracted these days, that they often contain "junk" on the bottom and under the cork. This isn't technically sediment in wine terms, as sediment consists of dead yeast cells and other natural wine byproducts, but rather tartrates and other young gooey goodness.

Older reds can serve to be opened just as much as a young red, but for very different reasons. Imagine if you were stuffed into a small container and had to sit there unmoving for 10, 20 or more years. The first thing you would want to do is stretch. The same goes for older wines. The complexity that has been gained from many years of age will slowly unfold as the wine is exposed to oxygen, especially if it has a good start with a nice decant. Really great wines will change faces dozens of times over the course of an hour or more (if you have the patience not to drink it all right away). Also, the sediment can be considerably more concentrated and although not in any way harmful, tend to cause a slight bitterness to the wine in addition to texture differences.

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7 comments about this article. Post a comment / write a review.

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Posted by nbauer on July 20, 2009 at 11:31 a.m. (report)

Oz, If its the contraption I'm thinking of, then its kind of a cross between a gas=less cruvinet and one of those big glass spigot-ed containers you see behind bars to steep vodka with various fruits etc. Kudos to Melting pot for even having 1st growth Bordeaux, let alone something to decant it in. They are a bit clunky and impracticle for most situations, but if you don't want your servers or customers handling decanters it can have it's uses-however awkward they may be. But hey, whatever it takes to get some oxygen to the wine is a good thing, I'm just not a big fan of the spigot part. Lots of little plastic parts to get gummed up.

Posted by ozricale on July 18, 2009 at 10:26 p.m. (report)

I took my family to The Melting Pot for my daughter's birthday (her choice!) where I ordered a first growth Bordeaux. After being presented with the wine I asked to have it decanted and our server looked at me like I just asked her to dance on the table. She returned with a contraption that looked like something that made the Flintstones car fall over. It took up quite a bit of space on the table but actually worked quite well with a spigot to put your glass under. Do you know what I'm refering too?

Posted by nbauer on June 18, 2009 at 1:40 p.m. (report)

Paco, Sorry it took me a couple days to get back to you. If you ever need an immediate response shoot me an email. In regards to the 06 Vintage Tunina, I would sit on Jermann's loveliest of lovlies for at least another couple years. If you are itching to drink it and can't resist, I would definitely decant it-leave it for a good hour or so but watching it change along the way is super fun. I've had 10-15+ yr old VT's that were brilliant. That wine is definitely built to last.

Posted by Bobby T on June 15, 2009 at 3:40 p.m. (report)

Nice choice on the Pio Cesare, Paco, but don't you mean the first glass had an earthy quality, with beet overtones?! Lol.

Posted by PacoMunsin on June 15, 2009 at 3:33 p.m. (report)

rkerhin - Great story. Been there, done that!! I had a similar experience with a Pio Cesare 2004 Barolo. 1st glass tasted like dirt! Cest la vie.....