Decanting Wine

A decanter is a vessel supplied with a stopper that is used to hold the decantation of a liquid (such as wine) which may contain sediment. Decanters are normally used as serving vessels for wine. Decanters vary in shape and design. They are usually made of an inert material (such as glass) and will hold at least one standard bottle of wine (0.75 liter).

Wine Decanter Styles

Wine decanters are often ornate and come with a stoppered lid, which may have a rod to aid decanting. Most decanters have a tall, upright shape and are made of glass, often lead crystal, to allow observation of the process of decanting. Decanters are also designed in various modernized shapes. Carafes are used for less expensive wines.

Wine Decanting Process

Liquid from another vessel is poured into the decanter in order to separate a small volume of liquid, containing the sediment, from a larger volume of "clear" liquid, which is free of such. In the process, the sediment is left in the original vessel, and the clear liquid is transferred to the decanter. Decanters have been used for serving wines that are laden with sediments in the original bottle. These sediments could be the result of a very old wine or one that was not filtered or clarified during the winemaking process. In most modern winemaking, the need to decant for this purpose has been significantly reduced to where not as many wines produce a significant amount of sediment as they age.

Decanting Wine for Aeration

Decanting wine can also serve the purpose of aerating the wine. This controversial aspect may, depending on which view, either benefit the wine by smoothing some of the harsher aspects of the wine (like tannins or potential wine faults like mercaptans) or it may be detrimental to the wine by causing it to oxidize and lose some of its aromatic qualities. Whether to aerate wine or not is one of the most controversial topics in wine. Another aspect of decanting wine is allowing it to "breathe". In this regard the decanter is meant to mimic the effects of swirling the wine glass to stimulate the movement of molecules in the wine to trigger the release of more aroma compounds.

• See also: Wine Glassware

Back to Top