How to Properly Decant Red Wine

Although most people identify decanting wine with fancy restaurants, the reality is that it serves a very practical purpose. Almost any wine, especially older vintages, can benefit from the positive effects of aeration and removal of sediment. As a rule of thumb, any red wine over 3 years of age and all vintage Port should be decanted prior to pouring. Decanting is a simple process that can be easily mastered by anyone. This article will guide you through the process and offer some helpful tips on properly decanting red wine.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Candle
• Carafe or other large glass vessel

1. Allow the wine to settle. Unless the wine has been sitting in your wine cabinet for some time, you will need to allow the sediment to settle to the bottom of the bottle. Unlike typical wine storage where you lay the bottle on its side, stand the bottle upright. In this position, the sediment will settle to the bottom of the bottle. Allow 1 to 2 days for the wine to settle properly.

2. Select a decanter. You can decant red wine into almost any vessel as long as it is either made of glass or crystal and is large enough to hold the wine. Since more surface area will result in better aeration, look for a decanter with a wide shape that will provide a large surface area.

3. Prepare your decanter and candle. Position the decanter on a flat counter or table. Place the candle to the right of the decanter in a position that will light the neck of the bottle as you pour.

4. Prepare the wine bottle. Completely remove the foil or plastic sleeve covering the top of the bottle. This will allow you to see the entire neck of the bottle. Remove the cork as you normally would.

5. Decant the wine. Holding the bottle with the label facing up, position it a few inches over the candle, which should illuminate the neck of the bottle. Pour the wine slowly into the decanter while watching the neck for sediment. If you observe any sediment in the neck, stop pouring and allow the sediment to settle back to the bottom of the bottle. Continue until all of the wine is in the decanter. Allow the wine to breath, or aerate, a few moments prior to serving.

Tips & Warnings

• Only use glass or crystal vessels for decanting. Unlike plastic or other porous materials, they won't affect the taste of the wine.
• Breaking a cork is not a cause for worry or embarrassment. Simply use your corkscrew to remove the remaining piece and continue with the decanting process.
• Pour your wine through a coffee filter to easily catch all sediment.
• Holding the candle too close to the bottle can raise the temperature of the wine.

Resources

• WineDoctor.com

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