All about Decanting Wine — What to Know and How to Do It

Imagine the following scenario: You’re in your favorite wine shop, and you’ve just chosen a nice Italian red that you’ve heard good things about. A staff member notices your selection and recommends that you decant the wine before drinking it. Do you know what to do?

In North America, decanting is a fairly common practice, particularly when it comes to full-bodied Italian reds and other bold wines. But while it’s one thing to have wine decanted for you by a sommelier at a restaurant or wine bar, you might feel intimidated by the prospect of decanting your wine at home. Fortunately, the process of decanting is not as daunting as it might seem. Read on for a look at some key things to know about decanting, as well as a handy step-by-step guide to doing it yourself.

What is decanting?

Simply put, decanting is the process of preparing wine for drinking by slowly pouring the wine from its original bottle into another container, known as a decanter. The wine is then served directly from the decanter after a certain amount of time has elapsed (depending on the type of wine, decanting can take anywhere from just a few minutes to several hours).

Why would you decant a wine?

Decanting wine serves two main purposes. The first is to separate the wine from any sediment that may have accumulated. Sediment naturally forms on the bottom of bottles of aged wines, as well as some younger, unfiltered wines, and while some wine lovers argue that the sediment is an important part of the wine’s flavor, others prefer to avoid getting a mouthful of grit as they drain their wineglass. When wine is decanted, the sediment stays in the original bottle, so the wine served from the decanter will be free of any dregs.

The second purpose of decanting is to aerate the wine; in other words, to help the wine open up and release its flavors through controlled exposure to oxygen. In addition, when the wine gets some “air time” in a decanter, undesirable traits and aromas evaporate or fade away and tannins begin to mellow out. As a result, decanted wine is typically fruitier and smoother than wine straight from the bottle.

What wines should (and shouldn’t) be decanted?

While the wines that respond best to decanting tend to be young and powerful reds, the general rule of thumb is that just about any wine, even whites and rosés, can benefit from decanting. However, for a few types of wine, it’s better to either decant with great care or avoid the process altogether. Very old wines, for example, tend to be more fragile and decay very rapidly once they are opened. In these cases, the wine’s flavors simply fade, rather than expand, during decanting. Similarly, delicate white wines with high thiol levels (the compound responsible for fruity smells like grapefruit or passionfruit) can lose their aromas if they spend too much time in the decanter. If you do choose to decant these wines, it’s best to serve them within 15 to 30 minutes.

Are there any alternatives to decanting?

While decanting can certainly enhance many wines, it’s by no means an essential step. For all the wine experts who embrace the benefits of decanting, there are just as many who say it isn’t necessary. However, what almost everyone does agree on is that most wines need time to breathe before they are served. The good news is that accomplishing this couldn’t be easier — simply open your chosen bottle of wine one to several hours before you plan to drink it, and leave it to breathe and rest. This will allow the wine time to open up slowly and gradually. You can also aerate wine right in the glass by gently swirling it; this allows you to experience the full evolution of the wine as it opens up.

A step-by-step guide to decanting

Set your bottle upright — If you’re planning to decant a bottle of wine that has been stored on its side, you’ll want to set the bottle upright for at least 24 hours beforehand. This will allow any sediment to slide to the bottom of the bottle.

Choose your decanter — Decanters come in a huge range of shapes and sizes, but the best ones are easy to clean and easy to pour from.

Open your bottle — Pull the cork from the bottle carefully, making sure not to dislodge cork fragments into the wine. If any wine spills or splashes during opening, wipe the neck of the bottle clean.

Pour slowly — Slow and steady is the name of the game when it comes to pouring wine from the bottle into the decanter. Pour the first half of the bottle slowly without stopping, then decrease your pouring speed even more when you get to the second half of the bottle.

Know when to stop — As soon as you see sediment reach the neck of the bottle, stop pouring. Sediment may look chunky and gritty, or you may notice that the wine has become cloudy.

Wait, then serve — Depending on the type of wine, you may be able to serve your decanted wine within about 20 minutes (for light-bodied reds, whites, and rosés) or you may need to wait one or more hours (for full-bodied reds).