What is decanting and why would you do this (to a wine)
Decanting is the process of pouring wine from a bottle into a decanter with the aim of improving young red wine. This only applies to high-quality red wines with high tannin content that are intended for long-term bottle aging. Instead of a decanter, you can also simply swirl the wine vigorously in the glass to test whether it improves or not.
Decanting a bottle of wine increases its surface area exposure to the air. This allows astringent tannins to soften under the influence of oxidation. Contrary to what the term suggests, you don’t need to use a special decanter; any spacious, inert (flavorless) container large enough to hold a bottle of wine will suffice. Of course, it’s nice if the decanter is easy to pour from and looks a bit attractive. More on that later.
Debating about decanting
There is much controversy surrounding the positive and negative effects of decanting. Decanting is said to stimulate the bouquet (complex wine aromas) in wine. This may or may not be due to the evaporation of the sometimes overpowering and more volatile unpleasant aromas. However, there is a risk that the pleasant aromas will also disappear from your wine, especially when it comes to red wines that have been aged for many years. Think along the lines of 10 to 15 years and older.
Science does not offer a definitive answer either. Changes in the (phenols of) decanted red wine have been measured, but not in a way that settles the debate. On the other hand, the research itself is limited, probably because the subject of decanting is not commercially interesting enough.
There is one thing that everyone in the wine world agrees on: decanting white wine is rarely useful and often even undesirable. If only to maintain the cooler temperature at which you serve the wine.
Tasting with emotion
The truth about whether decanting is good and necessary for red wine lies somewhere in the middle. But let’s not forget, let alone underestimate, the emotional value of decanting red wine. For many wine lovers, a chic decanter on the table lifts the whole experience. The anticipation of pouring it in the decanter, the excitement of waiting, the sight of undulating glassware filled with sparkling red delight in the midst of dear company. This alone makes a wine taste better, doesn’t it?
Enjoy, but decant in moderation
Conclusion: decant in moderation. Only if you can’t wait for a great red wine to reach maturity should you try to forcibly wake it up after opening. But remember: once you have decanted, there is no going back! That is why Cloud Wine recommends using a (large) wine glass as a decanter. If, after a few minutes of swirling, it appears that oxygenation has improved the wine, decant the bottle anyway. Also, don’t forget that tastes differ. You may find a decanted wine more enjoyable, whereas someone else may consider it a waste of the same wine.
Whichever side you’re on, you now have more tools to make a good choice. For example, when you order a top-notch red wine in a restaurant and are asked, “Would you like me to decant this for you?”
Robert, Cloud Wine
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