Decanting Wine

The sedimentation (or decanting) an aged wine should not be confused with the passage of a young wine decanter in order to aerate it and open it.

Decanting is a very different: this time it is to separate the wine from the potential deposits which may interfere with the pleasure of tasting. Although it seems inevitable, the ventilation is not desirable in itself, quite the contrary, because many older wines may react badly.


How to decant a wine?

If the principle is simple, pour the wine gently to leave the sediment, the practice is delicate and requires attention to detail and even the dexterity that decanting is perfect. The trouble is that particles resuspension at the slightest movement too sudden and it can take several hours before she redeposited.

Decanting is usually very well described in books on wine. Just to take the outline, here are some important rules:

• Prepare the bottle in advance: At least 24 hours before, place the bottle upright or oblique position, completely remove the collar
  Operate at the last moment to prevent oxidation of the wine after decanting,
• Make as little movement as possible with the bottle, do not turn on itself, avoid sudden movement, operate at once,
• Identify good when particles begin to happen and not try to lose the least wine (it is difficult to lose less than a half glass of wine). Use a good light source to detect the arrival of particles in the area that will drain the remaining candle power ideal: strong enough and not too tiring for the eyes.

The pitchers are generally broad shape to avoid the oxidation of a wine may indeed be older (sometimes) fast. Use a pitcher rather narrow and high.

Ome remarks:

• The deposit is a normal and natural.
• The recent wines tend to generate less deposit.
• Do not confuse the deposits that occur after aging with the deposition of material that can be found at the bottom of some wines unfiltered. These deposits, sometimes quite smooth, are often even less troublesome resuspended. It is best to leave the bottom of the bottle.
• Some wines, even young, sometimes have a kind of fine dust in suspension without there being any influence on the taste. This occurs even over very great wines. This dust is anyway too thin to be decanted. This is sometimes called precipitation elements dyes the skin of grapes.
• The term “settling” and “decanting” are equivalent. It is the word “settling” is the older of the two.