Decanting is a simple and elegant way to serve wine to make it more flavorful. It is basically just pouring the bottle of wine into a decanter, which is similar to a carafe. Decanting wine improves its taste and clarity, and you don’t have to be an expert to do it!
Most wines that we drink on a day-to-day basis DO NOT need decanting. For everyday white wines and rosés, use an aerator or just swirl the wine around in your glass for a few seconds before drinking. Sparkling wines lose some of their bubbliness when they’re decanted so I do not ever do this (some people do to improve the flavors and lose the fizz, but for me that’s part of the experience!). Here are wines that can benefit from decanting:
I often decant wine before serving not only to separate out sediment but mostly to let it breathe. Many red wines over 5 years old begin to develop sediment, so decanting is necessary to separate out the wine from the unwanted gritty sediment. Almost all wines (reds and whites) over 20 years old accumulate sediment as well.
Here are some wines that may benefit from decanting:
- High-end whites
- Wines older than 5-10 years
- Young fine red and white wines, especially if they’re high in tannins.
- Light-bodied reds, like pinot noir, but do not need long in a decanter.
- Full-bodied reds, especially young ones, for 20 minutes to an hour
- Natural wines, including whites and rosés, because they’re more prone to acidity and reduction as they age.
- Old, delicate wines
The most important factor in how long you decant is your personal preference for the taste. The longer the wine aerates, the softer its tannins become, which makes for a smooth, complex flavor.. Take a sip of your wine every 20 to 30 minutes to test it, and serve it when it reaches your preferred taste.
How to do it:
- Pour wine slowly into a decanter or carafe, keeping an eye on the neck of the bottle so no sediment flows into the container.
- Let most wines decant for about 30 minutes. Decant very old, delicate, or light-bodied wines immediately before serving.
