To decant or not to decant, that is the question

October 16, 8:51 AMWine ExaminerLeslie Cramer

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It's a question for the ages-  Why bother decanting wine? Does it really serve a purpose?

Making the most of that bottle of wine is priority numero uno.  Inexpensive to high-end, any and every bottle uncorked should go through the process.  And its wayyy easier than most people think and doesn't involve a fancy cut-crytal container. 

The purpose of decanting is not just for show.  The idea is to add air to the to the wine, in order to bring out all its nuances.

Wines coming from the barrel are generally  filled with a considerabble amount of sediment.  To avoid the look of sediment-y wine, the wine must go through a filtering or clarifying process to bring it to crystal clarity. 

Most wines off the shelf these days are already clear coming straight  from the bottle.  But decanting's main purpose is, as mentioned above, to impart air into the wine (the process, by pouring from the bottle into a clear, glass vessel.)  Aerating reds especially will benefit the final outcome of the wine.  Decanting 'softens' the wine and promotes the wine's delicate, complex aromas.

A simple, glass carafe is all thats needed.  Or if you live by the school of thought, to keep everything as simple as humanly possible, simply pouring the wine from the bottle to the glass and giving it a good counter clock-wise swirl will pretty much do the trick.  Like with many things in life, don't over-think it!  But decant, nonetheless.