#serving-storing-wine

To decant or not to decant? That is the question…

To decant or not to decant? That is the question… Often regarded as an old-fashioned, even somewhat pretentious practice, decanting wine has its fair share of doubters. Is decanting simply done for show or does it serve a useful purpose? If so, which wines should be decanted and how long before serving should wine be decanted? This blogpost looks into the why, which, how and when of decanting wine. WHY DECANT WINE? The main reason historically for decanting wine was to remove it from any naturally-occurring sediment often seen in wines that have aged a while in bottle. This sediment can taste bitter and, let’s face it, is unpleasant in texture – no-one likes to get that gritty last mouthful of wine. You would expect to see a sediment in vintage & crusted port and wines, mostly red wines, that have been aged for a number of years in bottle. Some younger wines can also benefit from being decanted. There is a small but growing number of natural winemakers who prefer not to filter their wi