In addition to white wine, wine has a deep-rooted wine culture. Unlike white wine, which is “full of wine and respect,” wine can only be poured a third of the way, and you must “sober up” before drinking it. So, what is the purpose of “decant”? Do all red wines need to be sobered up? Here are some frequently asked questions about “decant”.
What is the purpose of “decant”? decant effects
(1) Removal of impurities: decant and changing the bottle removes the sedimentation that has accumulated over the years and prevents tartaric acid from remaining in the wine and affecting the taste.
(2) Softening tannins: It can make the rough tannins softer. After exposure to air, tannins will undergo a series of oxidation reactions, thus becoming smooth and delicate.
(3) Restoration of aromas: Some wines have a closed aroma when they are young, and when they come into contact with the air, the aromas slowly lift their veil and gradually disperse.
(4) Deodorization: Some wines have excessive sulfur dioxide added during the winemaking process, which can easily create a reductive sulfur smell, rotten egg smell, etc. This unpleasant smell will disappear quickly upon decant.
This unpleasant smell will disappear soon after decanting. Not all red wines need to be decanted
If you understand why you want to decant, you should have a good idea of what wines need to be decanted
! In fact, there are only two types: young red wines that need to be aged but served early and are not yet mature, and older wines that have matured for a long time and may contain lees.
And most of the food and drinks we drink at any time in the market don’t need to be sobered up at all!
What are the steps to sober up? decanting steps
Many wines are stored horizontally. In order to separate the sediment before decanting, it is necessary to keep the wine upright before opening the bottle so that impurities can settle to the bottom of the bottle.
It is inconvenient to wait for a long time at the restaurant. It is recommended to stand the wine upright at least 30 minutes before opening. If there is enough time, the time to return to uprightness varies between new and old wines.
The above diagram shows a complete set of wine decanter equipment. In practice, these steps are usually simplified, and the funnel, candle and filter paper are omitted.
Things to keep in mind when opening the bottle: Cut the cap and tear it off as far as possible. Wipe the mouth of the bottle with a clean, damp cloth and dry it with a napkin. To open the bottle, choose a long screw corkscrew (wire mesh), a seahorse knife, an electric corkscrew or an old wine corkscrew, depending on the situation, and remove the cork completely.
Slowly pour the wine into the decanter, where the wine liquid comes into contact with the oxygen in the air at the bottom of the wide area of the bottle.
If there is no complete filter (i.e., some restaurants omit the funnel and filter paper), take extra care when pouring the wine: slowly and carefully pour the clarified liquid through a low light source and discard any sediment left in the neck of the bottle.
Don’t lift the bottle during the decanting process, or the sediment will immediately contaminate the clear liquid, which is very difficult to remedy – and is the most common mistake most people make when decanting up!
Sobriety time is relatively controversial. In fact, there is no set standard for sobriety and it needs to be adjusted according to the type of alcohol and the state of the alcohol during the sobriety process. Therefore, it is best to have a professional who knows about wine to control the sobering process when tasting wine.
decanting time is determined by various indicators such as vintage, storage condition and aging potential of the variety. Different wines have different decanting times. Even the same wine may have a different decanting time depending on the taste of the sommelier.
Of course, decanting wines have different flavors and everyone has their own favorites. Overall, decanting is a very delicate technique. If you want to really master it, you need to explore and learn through constant wine testing and tasting.
