Wine Decanting - Why and when to Decant?

Decanting wine is the process of pouring the liquid from the bottle into another vessel (decanter.)

Why decant wine?

Decanting serves two purposes. The first is to separate the wine from any sediment that may have formed in the aging process. The second and more common reason people decant is to aerate the wine. Many young wines can be tight or closed on the nose or palate. As the wine is slowly poured from the bottle to the decanter it takes in oxygen, which helps boost aromas and flavors to be more vibrant upon serving.

Steps to Decanting the Sediment Out of the Wine

Set the bottle upright for 24 hours or more before drinking. This is so the sediment can slide to the bottom of the bottle, making it easier to separate.
Locate a decanter.
Remove the capsule and cork from the wine bottle & wipe the bottle neck clean.
Hold a light under the neck of the bottle. A candle or your cellphone flashlight work well for this.
Pour the wine into the decanter slowly and steadily, without stopping. When you get to the bottom half of the bottle, pour even more slowly watching the wine for signs of sediment.
Stop pouring as soon as you see the sediment reach the neck of the bottle. Sediment isn’t always chunky & or stringy, so stop if the wine becomes cloudy.
Discard the remaining ounce or two of sediment-filled liquid in the bottle.
Serve the Wine from the decanter.

How Long Should I Decant My Wine?

Decant your wine fora minimum of 5 minutes & up to as much as 2 hours. The action of pouring a wine from a bottle into a decanter does most of the work instantly, but high tannin wines benefit from a little longer decanting.

Should you decant wines sealed with screwcaps?

Yes. Wines sealed with screwcaps can hold a lot of gas that was on top to the wine to help act as a preservative. That can produce odors associated with cleaning products or cat urine. Decanting will eliminate those odors as the preservative disapates from the wine.

Cleaning Your Decanter

Most restaurants do not use soap to clean the inside of the decanters, as it is too difficult to remove all the detergent from the container & then it will adversely affect any future wines you pour into the decanter. For everyday cleaning, I would recommend rinsing it out immediately upon finishing the contents inside. If left to dry, wine can then before more difficult to remove. For stuck on stains I recommend adding 3-5 ice cubes and 1 Tsp of Kosher Salt. Then swirl vigorously until the stains are removed, then rinse thoroughly with Cold Water.

A deep clean is okay every now and again, but I highly recommend using a hypoallergenic & fragrance free soap. There are also several products on the market today that help with this type of more in-depth cleaning.

Tip: Wash the outside with hot water first and rinse the inside with cold water, this will keep the glass from getting foggy on the inside.

Suggestions for how long to decant:

These are general guidelines based on prior expereince and recommendations from several Sommeliers I asked.

Barolo and Barbaresco: 6-8 hours for bottles up to 20 years old, Up to 4 hours for older wines.
Bordeaux: 1-2 hours for bottles up to 20 years old, Immediatly before serving for older wines.
Burgundy: 1-2 hours for bottles up to 10 years old, Immediatly before serving for older wines.
California Cabernet Sauvignon: 1-3 hours for a bottle up to 20 years old, No more than 30 minutes before serving for older wines.
Rhône Blends: 2-3 hours for bottles up to 10 years old, about an hour for older wines.

Should I Decant My White Wine?

There are many white wines that can really benefit from decanting. In particular, higher-end white wines that were made to age, helps the wine to open up after being stored for a long period. Most everyday young whites you purchase in the supermarket or at your local wine store do not need decanting before you serve.