Decanting is the process of speeding up the oxidation of a wine, releasing its original aromas, softening the tannins and improving its taste. Chilean wine experts start by introducing you to the wines that need to be decanted, showing you how to choose a decant apparatus and how to control the decanting time. Finally, they provide some tips to speed up the decanting process, which will hopefully help you practice your tasting.
Wine in a bottle is like Sleeping Beauty. Although beautiful, it lacks a halo, which can be made to glow after decanting. When the wine comes into contact with fresh air and breathes well, the tannins in the wine will gradually oxidize, and as the oxidation process gradually emits aromas, the wine’s flavor will become more mellow and soft.
I. Which wines need to decant?
1、Cheap wines
Cheap wine does not taste good, and decant can improve its taste. In addition, due to the use of sulfur dioxide, cheap wine has a stronger rotten egg taste. Decanting up can make this disgusting taste disappear quickly, thus creating a good wine tasting atmosphere.
2、Quality wines
For high quality wines, they need to be decanted due to their high tannin content. On the one hand, decanting can improve its flavor, and more importantly, it can bring out its full potential of high quality. Wines that need to be decanted include most Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Malbec, Petite Sirah, etc.
3、White wines and Pinot Noir
Generally speaking, white wines and Pinot Noir do not need to be decanted, but there are some exceptions. If the Pinot Noir is very acidic, you need to decant it to make it smoother.
Second, the choice of a wine decanter
The length and diameter of the wine decanter directly affects the area of contact between the wine and the air, which in turn affects the degree of oxidation of the wine, and thus determines the richness of the wine’s aromas. Therefore, it is very important to choose the right wine decanting apparatus.
Generally speaking, younger wines can be made in a flatter vessel, as a flat vessel has a wider stomach, which facilitates the oxidation of the wine. For older and fragile wines, you can choose a smaller diameter corkscrew, preferably with a stopper, to prevent excessive oxidation and accelerated aging of the wine. It should also be noted that it is best to choose an easy-to-clean wine cooler.
Three, the control of decanting time
The length of decanting time depends on the type of wine and the drinker’s personal taste preference. Generally speaking, wine starts to pour from the moment the bottle is poured into the decanter, and the decanting time varies from 5 minutes to 2 hours.
Typically, young wines take about an hour to decant, while some high tannin wines, such as Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, take longer to decant. It is important to note that not only does aging wine require a controlled decant time, but it also has requirements for the pouring method. To summarize, tilt the bottle and allow the wine to pour slowly along the wall, capping with a cork as soon as you are finished.
Some tips to speed up the decanting process
1. Pour the wine from one winemaker to another and repeat this operation once or twice.
2. Shake the decanter so that the wine is in full contact with the air.
3. Use a wine aerator. The purpose of decanting a wine is to release the wine’s original aromas prior to tasting, soften the tannins in the wine, and improve its taste so that you can have a better experience when tasting the wine. It is like a Chilean wine expert introducing you to wine knowledge so that you can better understand wine and get you on your way to enjoying it. With Christmas around the corner, Chilean Wine Expert would like to wish all wine lovers a Merry Christmas. I hope you will be able to raise your glass and spend the holidays with your family or friends in the fragrance of wine.
