Three reasons to decant: Older red wines, especially vintage wines, can have sediment. Decanting aerates the wine, and the decanter adds an elegant touch.
Difficulty: Average
Time Required: 5 minutes
Here's How:
- A couple of days before you plan to open the bottle, stand it upright.
- Come serving day, assemble what you'll need: a wide-mouthed decanter or elegant pitcher, a candle, and a cork screw.
- Carefully remove the foil capsule, shaking the bottle as little as possible.
- Uncork the bottle.
- Light the candle.
- Hold the bottle so you can see the candle flame through the bottle's shoulder, where it flares out under the neck.
- Tilt the bottle, and gently pour the wine into the decanter. You want a thin, steady stream with no gurgling.
- Watch the flame through the wine in the bottle as you pour.
- If there is sediment, you will see it as a thin dark stream moving up the inside of the bottle.
- Continue pouring slowly and steadily until the sediment climbs into the neck of the bottle and then stop.
Tips:
- Slow and steady is the key. With practice you'll be able to pour all but the last half-inch of wine before the sediment reaches the mouth of the bottle.
- Be careful not to hold the bottle directly over the candle flame, or soot will blacken it and you won't see the sediment.
