Decant

To decant a wine is to transfer it from the bottle to another container. The technique is used on both old and young wines (usually red) for different reasons and using different methods.

For older, mostly red wines, decanting is used to remove the sediment that has developed over the years of bottle aging.

To decant a wine with the purpose of removing its sediment, allow the bottle to stand vertically until all the sediment settles at the bottom. Then pour the wine slowly into a clean container until you see the sediment arrive in the neck of the bottle. Stop here, so that you have a clear wine in the new container and the sediment, of which you can dispose, left in the bottle.

For young, big, and sometimes inexpensive, red wines, decanting helps soften the wine. By allowing oxygen to amalgamate with the wine, harsh tannins are tempered and hidden fragrances are enlivened.

To decant a wine with the purpose of exposure to oxygen, begin with a wide decanter. This allows more surface area of the wine to contact air. Then freely pour the wine into the decanter, allowing it to move around in the decanter and mix with the surrounding oxygen.

A final reason for decanting a wine is for appearance. There are an assortment of beautiful and ornate decanters on the market today, and placing wine in one of those, instead of in the bottle in which it came (especially if the label does not match the occasion) adds elegance to the dinner table.