Is decanting just something that posh people do to show off at the dinner table? Or is there merit in allowing that bottle of red to ‘breathe’ before it washes down a nice steak? In the latest in our series assisting drinkers, here’s the why and how of decanting wine.

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Why?

The first reason to decant is to remove sediment. If you have a wine – particularly a red – that’s more than 10 years old, you’ll need to decant to remove this mixture of yeast, grape skin and various other components that doesn’t taste so good.

The second is to let it breathe. If you have a young red, it can potentially taste bitter and heavy in alcohol. Allowing it to breathe circulates oxygen, which helps to break up the tannins and releases the flavours of the wine. In older wines, this process normally happens in the bottle, which is why it’s sometimes more necessary to ‘air’ younger vinos. If you’re airing your wine, a wide-based decanter works best and you should let the wine sit for anywhere between 30 minutes and two hours. You’ll know the process has started to work as the wine won’t have as strong a smell.

How?

1. Let the wine stand upright for a day or so to let the sediment settle.
2. Remove the cork and wipe away any sediment from the neck of the bottle.
3. In front of a light or candle – so you can clearly see the sediment work its way towards the neck of the bottle – pour the wine into the decanter in one smooth movement.
4. When you see the sediment is in the neck of the bottle, stop pouring.

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