What is decanting all about?

In simple terms, decanting involves pouring the wine out of the bottle into another container, known as a decanter, with the purpose of separating the wine from the sediment that has collected at the bottom of the bottle and letting it breathe in order to enhance its flavor.

Decanting Steps

Step 1 : Store wine in a horizontal position, preferably on a wine rack. Before decanting, perch the bottle in a wine basket, or cradle, it will keep it in the right position. The basket should never be used for pouring wine at the table. If you don't have such basket, leave the bottle in a upright position for at least 1 hour to let the sediment settle to the bottom. The trick is to pour the wine with a very steady hand and not let the sediment end up in the decanter. A decanter is usually made of clear glass and has a narrow neck.

Step 2: Remove the cork with a smooth, single, twisting action. Wipe the opening with a soft cloth.

Step 3: Pour the wine into the decanter in one continuous movement, holding the bottle neck over a light so that you can watch the sediment. As soon as it approaches the neck, stop pouring. To make things easier, use a candle or a flashlight behind the neck of the bottle to see when the sediment arrives at the neck. Don't put it too close or you will heat up the wine - a flashlight is definitely more practical.

Note: Use a special silver funnel with a perforated strainer in the base and a spout curved sideways to prevent the wine from splashing down the neck of the decanter. Decanting also lets red wine breathe, allowing any bad chemical compounds to evaporate. During the years of aging the wine should not come into contact with air. However, when you are about to drink red wine, you should let it breath since air brings out its aroma.
The general rules are that:

* Vigorous, young, red Bordeaux, Cabernets, Barolo and Barbaresco should decant at least one hour before drinking.
* Young, red Burgundy and Pinot Noirs decant just before serving.

Some people let a wine breathe just by opening the bottle; unfortunately, this is ineffective, since the bottle's neck is too narrow to let much oxygen reach the wine.White wines do not need to be decanted.