Home | Lifestyle | Alcohol & Drinks | Wine | What is a Wine Decanter?

What is a Wine Decanter?

by Isobel Washington

Overview

What is a Wine Decanter?

Wine decanting is a process that filters out the sediments of wine. Different wines require different decanting processes, but it is usually done before serving the wine. Wine is poured into a carafe, or wine decanter, from which it is served.
Facts

The process seems simple: pour wine from one vessel into another. Decanting techniques vary, depending on the wine. Whether certain wines need any decanting at all is subjective, and in the sommelier community (sommelier is the French word for wine steward or cellar master), opinions vary. Young wines (most on the shelves of grocery stores) have no sediments, while older wines develop more with age. The separation of the clear liquid from the sediment occurs when the wine is poured from the bottle into the decanter.

Function

The decanter is intended to improve the quality, taste, and clarity of the wine. According to Joseph Nase, a wine expert for New York Magazine, the separation from sediments is not the only function of decanting: "[W]hen you pour wine into a decanter, the resulting agitation causes the wine to mix with oxygen, enabling it to develop and come to life at an accelerated pace (this is particularly important for younger wine)." Nase is referred to as aerating the wine, or letting it "breathe." Wine decanters also generally have aesthetic appea, and are thought to add elegance to a dinner table.

What is a Wine Decanter?
Types

Decanters come in all shapes and sizes. They are usually made of an inert material, like glass, and are commonly colorless, clear to exhibit the wine. Wine decanters may also come with stoppers, used to rest decoratively on top while blocking oxygen entry.
History

Decanters have been used for serving wine throughout history. The Ancient Romans used glass decanters, and after the fall of the Roman Empire, decanters were made of bronze, silver, gold and earthenware. Glass decanters were reintroduced during the Renaissance. Later, the British added stoppers to decanters .

What is a Wine Decanter?
Expert Insight

Younger wines should be poured straight into the decanter and left to aerate about 20 minutes before serving. Older wines require a more precise decantation process, and should be poured extra slowly and with care into the decanter. Touch the wine bottle tip and the top of the carafe during the pour, to aerate as little as possible. Unlike younger wines, the decantation process for older wines should be timed so that the wine is served to guests immediately after it has been decanted. Whether white wines benefit from decanting is debatable, but a Los Angeles Times article, "Wine Decanting: Give Wines Some Air," quotes Drew Langley, wine director for an upscale restaurant, who says, "If a wine can't stand up to decanting, it can't stand up to drinking. I decant a lot of white wines here, especially wines that are oaked. Once you decant the wines, they become much more aromatic and expressive."