I would suggest much more caution when thinking about decanting even reasonably mature more delicate reds like Burgundies, because decanting introduces a lot of oxygen when really very little is sufficient. What happens is that the wine becomes softened to the point of being a bit bland compared to the same wine that is “slow-O-ed” (or “Audouzed” as mentioned above). When a wine gets to 10 or 15 years old the sediment becomes quite soft in flavor and not usually a big problem. You can stand up special bottles for a week or two, and then pour very gently from the bottle, which should leave all the sediment behind. Francois Audouze (and I !) actually prefer the last half glass, which usually does have a bit of sediment to it. More flavor and character!
Age causes the tannin molecules to aggolomerate (I think that’s the term). They join together and become longer chain molecules, eventually becoming insoluble, so they settle out. Now it is the short tannin molecules that are perceived as being dry and astringent, so aging tends to make tannin soft and much more gentle. Try tasting a glob of tannins from the bottle of a 20 or 30 year old Vintage Port for example. You will find that they are very soft and grapey, and not at all “bad” tasting!
Younger wines and wines that are full bodied by nature are a different story, and decanting may be preferable with these. Also when slow-O-ing a “mature” bottle, the time required will naturally depend on exactly how old and how delicate the wine is. Two hours is a minimum, and 5 or 6 a better bet, even with old and delicate Burgs for instance. A Barolo might need even more time!
Try decanting half a bottle and leaving the other half in the bottle. Wait maybe 90 minutes and then start working on the decanted half. When that’s finished turn to the undecanted portion and see the difference. Be sure to keep both samples at the same gently cool temperature! In a good wine, there will be more vitality and complexity retained. If the time is too short, maybe too much vitality will be retained though! Making the wine still too aggressive, especially if it is on the younger side and a bigger more tannic sort of wine to start with…
Any tips for temperature control when decanting a white wine? Can you just stick the decanter in the fridge, or will the wine start to pick up all of the other aromas wafting around?
To start with, it may help to rinse the decanter with cold water, to cool it down from room temperature. (This can help with glassware too). The fridge will work fine after that, and only 30 minutes or so should be necessary. I’ve never had a wine pick up flavors…
A few drops of cold water left on the inside won’t change 750ml of wine poured in next!
The type of aeration chosen (i.e. the slow-O route or decanting), the following breathing time, and the final serving temperature make all the difference in the world to really fine wines, and will be the difference in whether they show at their absolute best or not! But there is no single best approach - it depends on the age of the wine, how much body and tannin it has, etc.
What decanters would you guys recommend? From what I’ve gathered, it doesn’t matter if your decanter is expensive or relatively cheap, as long as it does the job.
Personally, I drink more young wines than I’d like to admit (90% reds). Any suggestions for reputable brands and whatnot?
Not that I don’t appreciate your recommendation, but I take “decent” with a grain of salt. Though, you’re right around my price range so I’m not complaining!
I recently received a 'Pocket Guide To Wine from Wine Spectator and one of the topics is decanting.
This is what they say:
"…yes if the wine had thrown a heavy deposit; vintage Port and full bodied, mature are usually the culprits here. (But decanting is useless if the sediment is floating throughout the wine; be sure to stand the bottle upright a day or two before opening.) Yes if you want to show off an heirloom crystal decanter or hide the identity of the wine. In all other cases, useless at best, harmful at worst.
This advise flouts some conventional wisdom, which argues that young reds (and occasionally other wines as well) benefit from “breathing” and need the vigorous contact with oxygen that decanting provides in order to “open up” and show their best. No scientific evidence supports this point of view. It is true that wines change with exposure to air, but mostly for the worse - old wines, for example may deteriorate rapidly after opening. Instead of decanting , try following the arc of the wine’s evolution right in the glass, from the first taste until the last sip (which may come hours later)."
Despite being new to the game, I’d have to agree with this 100%. I’ve tried two of the same bottle - one decanted for over an hour, the other just opened and drank - and the decanted sample was noticeably better. I can’t speak about dry wines though. It was most noticeable with 2 bottles of Huet 2009 Clos du Bourg Premiere Trie. It seems the more residual sugar in a white wine, and / or the older it gets, the more it can benefit from decanting. However, the oldest I’ve tried this with is a 1990 moelleux Pichot.
Making the wine still too aggressive, especially if it is on the younger side and a bigger more tannic sort of wine to start with…