Whites

Yes, believe it or not, I just typed "whites." I think that there are many, many whites that can improve by immediate exposure to air. I have decanted some pretty huge whites over the years, namely monster chard's and other super young, tight whites. I think that many whites can show considerably more character if they are given the chance to come into their own. Unfortunately, the American palate and the average wine merchant have created the notion that all whites should be drunk immediately. There are plenty of whites that are better young and fresh, but there are so many others -- Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc, Pinot Gris -- that get unbelievably sexy as they age.

In terms of assessing just how young a bottle is and how far ahead of time to open it, consult your local sommelier or trusted retailer, or better yet, ask me and I will tell you.

So, do I decant ALL wines?

Definitely not. Hopefully, from the aforementioned details, you have gleaned that when it comes to decanting, it's the big boys that not only need it, but actually possess the quality and character to benefit from it.

Quality is again the prevailing variable. Cheap, young wines, even if they are Cali cabs, will more often than not fall flat very soon after being decanted. Delicate reds, especially Pinot Noir rarely need decanting. I have only decanted a few Pinots in my day, mostly super-young, high alcohol New World Pinots. Pinot Noir changes rapidly with exposure to air, and too much too fast will absolutely kill it. Aside from Pinot Noir, most other varietals, if well made and of the appropriate age, can serve well from being decanted.

When it comes to whites, the bigger the better for decanting. Big, young whites especially. I would be very careful around older whites, unless they are gems like Grand Cru white Burgundy that stay lively for several decades.

Tip: When decanting whites, have the decanter in the refrigerator before decanting. You want the wine to warm up gradually and a warm decanter will speed things up too quickly. (And, yes, a little warmer is better for drinking big whites -- No more ice cold for you!)

What type of decanter should I use?

When it comes to a type of vessel for serving wine, the only thing I will warn against is using metal pitchers. Stainless steel and other porous metals can affect the flavor of the wine. After that, when desperate, use whatever is available. Yes, that means when you are at your someone's house and he / she doesn't have any idea what a decanter is, a plastic pitcher works just fine. The rest is just preference. Some decanters allow for massive surface area for the wine to breathe, but are hard to pour and impossible to clean. Others are designed primarily for show, and are usually even harder to clean.

I prefer a combination of looks and practicality. Basically, whatever you have that is glass / crystal, pours well and doesn't leak is ideal.

How do I decant wine?

There are a couple of different methods for decanting wine. Whichever method you employ, the less you jostle the bottle about before opening, the cleaner the decanted wine. Ideally, you should let a bottle rest upright 8-10 hours before decanting.

The classic method is to place a light source (candle or small electric light) on a table under the neck of the bottle (not too close or you will heat up the wine) Position the opened bottle at approximately 45 degrees with the label sideways so you can see into the bottle as the wine is poured out. As you slowly pour the contents in to the decanter, watch for a little wisp of sediment cloud creeping toward the neck. This is the sign of thicker sediment to come. Just when the chunks of sediment reach the neck, stop pouring and you are left with clean wine in the decanter.

There are funnels available with screens to filter the rest of the wine so you don't lose much. I recommend using cheese cloth with the filter as the screens usually don't catch much of the sediment.

The other method is far more contemporary and requires greater knowledge of the individual wine being poured. This method is reserved entirely for huge young reds with little to no sediment. Basically, upend the bottle so it "schlugs" into the decanter. This thrashing will open up a wine much quicker, but will give you no chance to catch the sediment if there is any present.

Although you will lose a few subtle characteristics of the wine compared to if you had slowly let it develop in the glass over four or five hours, how many of us really have that kind of patience when it comes to good wine? Invariably, the "hard decant" will make that bottle much more palatable over the hour or less that you drink it.

Again, a lot of this depends on how you like to drink your wine and how fast you are going to drink it. I tend to be very proactive in decanting as I feel most wines will have the chance to show me a greater level of complexity during the time period in which I am going to enjoy them.

If you have any other questions about decanting, send an e-mail and I will be happy to respond.