A wine decanter is a special vessel or decanter made of glass into which the drink is poured before serving. It provides the liquid with the ability to breathe and be saturated with oxygen, which means that it fully reveals its taste. In addition, an elegant vessel of a bizarre shape always attracts attention and is able to turn a tasting into a beautiful ritual.

Decanter and decanting - what is it

Before opening the bottle, it must not be shaken so that the sediment does not mix with the liquid. The contents are poured slowly, in a thin stream, so that the liquid flows along the wall of the decanter. Experienced sommeliers often use a lighted candle to illuminate the neck of a bottle and notice the approach of sediment in time. This helps not to pour it into the decanter.

The contents of the bottle are poured not only to separate the tartar. Most often, this procedure, called aeration, is done to saturate the drink with oxygen.

Which wines should be decanted and in which decanter

Decantation is not carried out for every type of alcohol. For a rare drink, this can even be fatal. Such species have such a complex chemical composition that transfusion can destroy their structure. A rare drink does not need a special vessel for wine. It is enough for him to stand calmly in an open bottle for some time.

And young wines just need it. They have a high level of tannin and slowly open their bouquet.

Decantation is necessary, first of all, for aged red drinks and ports to saturate the wine with oxygen. Some varieties of white are able to fully reveal their bouquet only after the procedure. If a sparkling drink has an excessive intensity of carbon dioxide, the process of pouring will help get rid of this. If necessary, the procedure is better to use a vessel with a lid, resembling a damask in shape. In some cases, it is more appropriate to use a spiral object.

How to choose and care for an accessory

When choosing a decanter, you need to know what kind of wine it will be used for. For young species, you should choose dishes with a wide bottom. The neck should be narrow, expanding upward, similar to a funnel. You can also choose a more complex model.

In mature wine, the decanting process has one goal - the removal of sediment. Therefore, it is not so important what area the container will have. It can be in the form of an amphora or a decanter. But it would be more correct to opt for a duck-shaped vessel with a narrow neck and a wide base. To fully emphasize the beauty of the drink, you need to choose a transparent decanter.

As for care, you can wipe the wine vessel with a napkin only from the outside. It should be washed by hand, rinsing with plenty of clean water, using a brush if necessary. The use of abrasive detergents is prohibited. Plaque that appears inside the accessory is easy to remove with vinegar and rice grains. During cleaning, you should slightly shake the container so that the rice gradually cleans off the cream of tartar. Rinse with boiled water after cleaning.

For drying, use a special, vertically or inclined, pin. Storage space must be chosen separately from the rest of the dishes.

The decanter should always be kept clean. It should not have cracks or chips. In addition, it should not have foreign odors.

Basic rules for decanting wine

The decanting process is subject to several rules and depends on the type of drink. The main thing in this process is a clean vessel for wine. The bottle before the procedure must be kept for some time on a special stand. This will help the sediment to fully collect on the bottom.

After the drink has settled, you can proceed to the transfusion. First of all, it is necessary to rinse the vessel with a small amount of alcohol. This will eliminate possible foreign odors. You need to pour carefully, without rushing. The device must be held at an angle so that the liquid flows in a continuous stream and flows down the wall. When the sediment approaches the exit, you should stop. Even if a small part of the sediment got into the vessel, it will be clearly visible after it settles.

Aged drinks should be poured as slowly as possible, avoiding splashing. With young people, you can speed up a bit.

After a properly carried out procedure, a clean wine with a pleasant aroma and taste will appear in the decanter. Do not leave it for a long time in the vessel. For the full disclosure of the bouquet will be enough 1-2 hours.

In fine restaurants gravitating towards aristocracy, you may have seen how a sommelier serves wine to guests after pouring it from a bottle into a special decanter. Among experts, this procedure is known as decanting, or decanting. Today we will find out what decantation of wine is - an indispensable element of serving a drink or simply a beautiful tradition.

The decanting process consists in slowly pouring the drink into a special carafe (decanter) in order to saturate it with oxygen and separate it from the sediment. Expensive red wines (rarely white ones) accumulate sediment after several years of aging. This is a sign of really high quality (for example, a grape variety such as Cabernet Sauvignon can deposit an impressive amount of sediment), as it indicates that the drink has not been over-filtered and has not lost its former aroma.

On a note! Today, there is no consensus among winemakers regarding the purpose and purpose of decanting wine. In addition, even what kind of drink should be served in a decanter, and which can be poured directly from the bottle, remains controversial.

The custom of decanting wine originated a long time ago - several centuries ago, when glass vessels were a luxury. In those days, wine was stored and sold in barrels, and in view of the fact that only wealthy people could afford such a purchase, the drink was served to the table beautifully, in exquisite vessels. The transfusion ritual did not have a clear sequence, however, it took root and survived to this day. Later, when glass bottles were already in use, the drink, according to the rules of good manners, was still served in decanters.

What wines are decanted?

As noted above, mainly red wines are subjected to decanting. Although some varieties of white wines, "saturated" with oxygen after this procedure, can truly reveal their exquisite bouquet. All wines are different, and the need for decanting depends not only on age, but also on the grape variety used in the manufacture, the place of collection and the quality of the drink itself. For example, young wines (not only red, but also white, rosé, individual ports, champagne and Madeira) can do without it. Moreover, for drinks made from grenache or pinot noir, decanting can even hurt, because due to an excess of oxygen, they lose their freshness and aroma. But old ports and wines from Bordeaux must be decanted due to sediment.

Wines of Bordeaux

Another reason wine is decanted is sediment, which not only spoils the appearance of the drink, but can also “squeak” on the teeth. The decanted drink is clean, it does not contain sedimentary particles that form in some bottles.

On a note! By the way, the sediment itself is absolutely harmless, and in red wines it is even a kind of indicator of high quality.

Cheap “store-bought” wines that have neither taste nor aroma do not need aeration, because, in fact, there is nothing to disclose here. Although it is worth noting that today there is a trend towards a decrease in filtration: even in the middle price range there are wines that have not been filtered (Australian, Chilean). You can determine it by the inscription non foltre or unfiltered on the label.

Video - Why wine is decanted

Wine decanters

Despite the great variety, all decanters can be divided into two large categories (everything else is just the result of design fantasies).

1. Decanter for wines requiring intensive aeration. Such vessels have a narrow high neck and a wide lower part. Thanks to a sharp narrowing in the middle part, the entire spectrum of aromas is stored until the drink is served at the table, and the large area of ​​contact with air allows the bouquet to open up in the best possible way. Usually, decanters of this shape are used for young wines that have not fully developed.
2. Decanters for old, noble varieties that do not need aeration(it occurs through the cork during the exposure period). In this case, the contact area does not play a special role, so the forms for aged drinks can be very diverse: amphorae, traditional decanters, "ducks", etc. When transfusing elite expensive varieties, it is necessary to use a vessel with especially smooth outlines so as not to damage the fragile structure drink (the latter may “exfoliate” and not demonstrate the bouquet achieved during aging).

Regardless of its shape, the decanter must be made of high quality crystal glass. The most famous manufacturers of decanters are Riedel and Spiegelau. Vessels from Riedel (Austria) are real works of art that are intended for aesthetes and true professionals.

And the Spiegelau company from Germany has been manufacturing glasses and decanters for over 5 centuries. Spiegelau products include a huge number of items and, more importantly, are available to a wide range of consumers. Thanks to this, even a novice winemaker or just a drink lover can decanting wine at home.

Video - Decanter Riedel, 1370 ml

How wine is decanted: detailed instructions

First, let's talk about some wines that curdle slightly after opening the bottle. For example, Piedmontese barolo, containing a large amount of tannins, does not show its taste richness for several hours, which means that you will not remember anything other than irritation on the tongue. But after a while, the bouquet begins to manifest itself, becomes stronger, and, in the end, you are enveloped in aromas of strawberries, truffles and violets mixed with autumn leaves.

Before decanting wine, you need to prepare everything you need.

	bottle of wine
	Wineglass
	Decanter
	Corkscrew
	Candle

On a note! The last point is optional, although many people use a candle when decanting red wine. The fact is that its (candle) light allows you to see at what point the sediment will approach the neck of the vessel - evidence that the transfusion should be stopped.

At least a day before serving, a bottle of wine is placed horizontally so that the sediment sinks to the bottom. This will make it easier to separate.

Step 1. First, the crystal vessel, with which the wine will be decanted, is thoroughly washed and rinsed with hot water.

Step 2 Immediately before decanting, the sommelier shows the client a bottle, announcing three positions - the manufacturer, the appellation and the year of collection.

Manufacturer, appellation and year of collection

Step 3 The capsule under the ring is cut off, the neck is lightly wiped, after which, using a lever corkscrew (the so-called sommelier's knife), the cork is removed approximately ¾. If the drink is aged, then the capsule is recommended to be completely removed in order to be able to see the sediment. At the end, the cork is carefully removed by hand, and this must be done in such a way as to avoid the characteristic pop.

The cork is removed

Step 4 The cork is inspected, after which it should be smelled and determined if there is a “cork smell”. Then the cork is placed on a special saucer, which is placed on the client's table. Immediately after removing the cork, the neck of the bottle is wiped again.

Sommelier sniffing a cork

Step 5 When the bottle is uncorked, the drink should be tasted in order to:

• determine if it needs decanting;
• make sure it is of high quality;
• find out if the serving temperature is correct.

Wine tasting in progress

Step 6 Now you can start decanting the tasted wine. The decanter is taken by the bottom or neck. When pouring a drink into a vessel, care must be taken to ensure that the sediment remains in the bottle. The procedure is carried out in one long movement, while the neck of the decanter should be above the light (candle) so that sedimentary substances can be monitored. When they get close to the neck, you need to stop. Decanter rotates clockwise

The duration of the procedure depends on the degree of exposure, although on average it is no more than 15-20 minutes.

After decanting, the wine can be poured into glasses

On a note! If a young wine that has no sediment is decanted, then many sommeliers still light a candle for beauty. You can not extinguish a candle in the room where the client is! Otherwise, the pungent odor resulting from this will prevent you from fully enjoying the drink.

Video - Decanting wine

By the way, in expensive restaurants, sommeliers tell customers whether one or another type of wine needs to be decanted, and they also say how long before serving this procedure should be performed. If necessary, they decant the drink right in front of the client.

As a conclusion. Once again about the need for decanting

Let's pay a little more attention to the discussions among the masters of the wine business regarding whether it is necessary to saturate the wine with oxygen. Proponents of decantation are sure that the “dose” of oxygen helps the drink to fully open up, become more alive. If after opening the bottle the taste seems inexpressive, then why not saturate the wine with oxygen and check whether it has really opened up?

But the opponents of the procedure believe that due to decanting, the wine quickly loses its taste, and to saturate with oxygen, it is quite enough to rotate the filled glass a little. Moreover, it is much more interesting to watch how the taste of the drink is revealed right in the glass (during aeration, these phases can be missed).

That's all. Drink alcoholic beverages correctly and - more importantly - do it in moderation! Good luck!

Decanter(eng. Decanter) is a special glass decanter designed for decanting and serving wine. Mature wines need to be decanted to separate the pigmentation sediment that has settled to the bottom of the bottle over time. Traditionally, when pouring from a bottle into a decanter, the Sommelier monitors the approach of the sediment to the neck of the bottle in the light of a wax candle. After spending a short time in the decanter, mature wines are carefully poured into glasses, leaving the sediment from the bottle at the bottom of the decanter.

Young tannic wines with potential for long aging often need to be poured into a decanter before serving, not to separate the sediment, but to oxygenate and accelerate the oxidation process, that is, to accelerate maturation and readiness for consumption. To speed up the oxidation, the decanter with wine is actively shaken. Decantation time for young wines can range from 30 minutes to several hours before serving.
Classic decanters are made from clear glass, crystal or crystal, hand-blown or produced in large factories. Classic decanters are designed for a volume of wine of one and two liters, respectively, based on a bottle of 0.75 liters and 1.5 liters.

Modern decanters also come in various shapes and sizes, and are made of colored glass.

Why do you need a Decanter?

So, a decanter is a vessel into which wine, both old and young, is poured, subjecting it to aeration (oxygen saturation), and also freeing it from sediment. In addition, many decanters have an aesthetic purpose, because the wine goes directly from it into the glasses.
There are two main types of decanters - designed for old and young wines. For young wines, strong aeration is necessary, since young wine, saturated with oxygen, has a brighter and deeper aroma, it is much more velvety and pleasant on the palate, so the area of ​​\u200b\u200bcontact of the wine itself with air is important here. Hence the shape of such decanters - as a rule, it is a funnel-shaped neck and a thickened lower part, for example, the Tyrol decanter. But, there are exceptions - some decanters have such a bizarre spiral structure that the wine is saturated with air while smoothly flowing into the lower part in a spiral.

Old wines, on the contrary, are already saturated with oxygen, this happens during the entire period of storage of the wine, through the cork, and therefore, decanters for such wines have a slightly different shape - as a rule, these are spherical vessels, or vessels with a narrow neck, or duck-shaped or decanter-shaped. In any case, a decanter designed for old, aged wine will try to keep the drink in contact with air as little as possible.

However, all these nuances can be ignored, but, for example, young wine should be decanted a couple of hours before serving, and old wine should be poured into a decanter immediately before drinking.

The best decanters are made exclusively from crystal, in order to emphasize the beauty of the wine and its aesthetics. You can find decanters made of good glass on the market, but these are cheaper options that cannot be compared in quality, aesthetics and functionality with handmade crystal counterparts.

Among other things, decanters, of course, vary in volume, from those designed to decant a single bottle of 750 ml, to those that allow you to place about two liters of wine at once. You should not fill the decanter to capacity, nor should you pour too little wine, so focus on a slightly larger capacity than you need (about a quarter).

How to properly decant wine

Proper decanting of wine is a simple process. Before pouring a drink from a bottle, it is common to rinse the decanter with a small amount of wine to eliminate odors. This wine is then poured out. Pour the wine carefully, along the wall of the vessel, until about two to three tablespoons of the drink remain in the bottle. This will separate the wine from its sediment, which is inevitable in aged wines, and, quite often, in young ones. Naturally, it is not recommended to keep the wine in the decanter for a long time, it is best to use it in one day.
Well, today, a wine jug has ceased to be just a jug - it has become much more multifaceted, more functional and more elegant than in the Middle Ages, when it was intended only for beautifully serving wine on the table.

Decanting wines, old and young, is much more correct than serving wine right in the bottle, both in terms of taste and aesthetics, finesse and perfection!

To enjoy wine according to the canons of wine tasting, it is not necessary to go to a restaurant, you can achieve this at home using the right accessories. Let's try to understand such a concept as a decanter for wine, how to choose it, use it, and take care of it. The history of this vessel is rooted in the distant past, even the Romans liked to drink wine from beautiful elongated jugs - amphorae. He is popular even now.

So what is a wine decanter? This is a special vessel, usually made of glass and having the following proportions: narrow part, wide part, neck. A jug or decanter for wine is a decanter.

Why decant wine

By decanting the drink, we achieve several goals:

1. It's beautiful and aesthetic. Wine poured into an exquisite vessel looks much more interesting on the table than an ordinary bottle.
2. When transfusing a liquid from a decanter, you can also use a suspension in the wine.
3. Saturation of the drink with atmospheric oxygen. This will help the wine to reveal its unique bouquet and rich color.

Which wines should be decanted

This process has a different effect on different types of wines.

Important! Do not take on the decantation of rare wines. This work can only be done by experienced specialists, and they will not always undertake such a procedure. The risk of significantly degrading the quality of the product is very high.

If you are not the owner of rare wines, feel free to experiment!

The most suitable drinks for this procedure are wines made from red grapes, but decanting white wine is also possible.

• Aged after decantation will get rid of tartar and sediment accumulated during storage;
• Young decanted wine will become less tart in taste due to the reduction of tannins in the drink, this will happen due to aeration;
• will become even softer and more tender in taste;
• Ripe white and red wines will be saturated with atmospheric oxygen;
• It is possible to decant sparkling wines in order to rid them of excessive gas content.

Decanting technology

There are rules that govern how to properly decant wine.

The mature drink is poured from the bottle into a narrow-necked decanter. This is done with confident, gentle movements so that the sediment does not get inside the vessel.

Young wine, unlike mature wine, is sent to the vessel as sharply as possible, so that the drink is enriched with atmospheric oxygen.

There are some subtleties that should not be forgotten, namely:

How to choose the right decanter

When purchasing a decanter, it is important to consider a number of points:

• Why do we need it, for what type of wine;
• What is the container made of. The best properties of decanters are recognized for crystal, although a well-made vessel of glass will also do;
• The important factor is the price. Prices on the market range from 1,500 rubles. up to 1,000 dollars.
• And of course the design. A special carafe can be functional and decorative with various inserts and embellishments.
• When purchasing, inspect the decanter for damage to the vessel, including the absence of seams, chips, cracks and other defects.
• The surface must be absolutely smooth.
• The neck must be the correct shape.

1. Thin brush for washing.
2. A special stand for drying the decanter in a vertical position.

How to care for your wine decanter

In order for the decanter to serve us for a long time, it is necessary to properly care for it.

Before decanting, the decanter flask must be put in order.

1. The decanter is strictly forbidden to be placed in the dishwasher, wash it only by hand.
2. Do not use aggressive cleaners that have a strong odor. This may affect the quality of the drink.
3. For washing, use a special thin brush and soft linen napkins.
4. It is recommended to dry the decanter upside down.
5. If plaque is found on the walls of a special decanter, it is necessary to pour a small amount of table vinegar into it, pour a few pinches of any cereal (preferably rice, pearl barley, buckwheat). After that, carefully shake the decanter until the plaque completely disappears. Drain everything carefully, rinse several times with boiled water.

There is a wide range of decanters on the market today. It is worth seeing the decorative decanters for Riedel wines, depicting various animals. Such a vessel would be a wonderful gift. Spiegelau, Vivo products are made of crystal glass.

You should not buy decanters from unknown manufacturers, as the risk of buying goods from low-quality glass is too great.

Why table wine has such a name and how it ...

Many wines are poured into a special glass vessel, most often in the form of a decanter, before serving. This vessel is called a decanter, and the process itself is called decantation. Pour the wine slowly, directing the jet along the wall of the vessel. It is not recommended to store wine in a decanter; it is usually consumed within a day.

Why decantation is needed

Properly carried out decantation makes the taste bouquet of wine more balanced, softens it and contributes to a more complete manifestation of the aromatic component. Experts use the term "breathe wine." The fact is that wine changes its chemical composition during aging. In this case, as a result of the ongoing oxidation processes, sulfides can be released into the drink. In young wines, especially powerful ones, tannins can be present in significant amounts. Both those and other compounds worsen the taste of wine, but they are easily removed even with a short airing.

Another reason for decanting wine is the need to separate it from the sediment formed as a result of the crystallization of tartaric acid. As a rule, the sediment is most clearly formed in red wines aged 5-7 years. And although such pigment inclusions do not affect the taste of wine and its aroma at all, wine containing sediment does not look very aesthetically pleasing in a glass. In addition, the appearance of the decanter serves the same aesthetics - wine looks more attractive in an elegantly shaped transparent decanter.

Which wines are decanted

Decanting is most often done on red wines, less often on whites. Rosé wines are usually not decanted, nor is it recommended for very old rare wines. Their chemical composition is complex, and overflowing can disrupt the structure of the drink and destroy its unique organoleptic qualities.

Authoritative sommeliers believe that the decanting procedure is useful for many Italian wines: red Bordeaux, Tuscan Chianti, Piedmontese Barolo. The best sommelier in the world, Andreas Larsson, does not recommend decanting wines made from Pinot Noir and Grenache grapes, as excessive exposure to oxygen leads to the loss of their original aroma.

About the shape of decanters

Old and young wines require different degrees of aeration. Old wines, already saturated with oxygen due to its gradual entry through the bottle cap, do not need active contact with air. Therefore, for aged wines, decanters are used that have the shape of a classic decanter - narrow-necked spherical vessels.

Young wine needs a large area of ​​contact with air - intense oxygenation improves its taste, deepens and brightens the aroma. Decanters with thick bottoms and funnel-shaped necks are used here. To speed up the readiness of wine for drinking, such a vessel is gently but actively shaken during decantation.