How long should you decant your wine

Decanting wine refers to the process of pouring contents from one vessel (typically a bottle) into another vessel (typically a decanter). It is mainly used for two reasons: separating the wine from the sediment and aerate the wine for better aromas and flavors. However, it is not easy to know which wine to decant or how long should you decant for.

We usually decant or aerate red wines, because they have a high amount of tannin content and need oxygen to make it taste softer. Most white wines don’t need decanting, though very few of them can still benefit from decanting, particularly higher-end wines that can age. It has increasingly become a trend to decant Champagne, and they even come out a special decanter for Champagne. However, for Champagnes and sparkling wines, you may not like it if you inextricably connect them with that very sensation of bubbles, as decanting will softens the bubbles’ intensity.

For a freshman of decanting wines, it is hard to determine how long you should decant the wine. Now here are the guidelines for your reference:

Particularly fragile or old wines (more than 15 years)

Aged wines should be decanted for 30 minutes or so before drinking. Never decant for too long, as oxygen will speed up the process that degrades the wine. The good indicator that wine has gone bad is that it smells like vinegar and has a sharp flavor.

Young wines (Less than 15 years)

Young and vigorous wines can be decanted for 1-4 hours before serving. Many young wines contain a higher amount of tannic and taste tight or closed on the nose or palate. Decanting will bring in oxygen to help open up the aromas and flavors.

Decanting is not just the act of pouring a wine into the decanter. It comprises tricks and personal preferences. Although there is the basic process to decant a wine, you’d better move on and experiment yourself to see what happens. For example, experiment with multiple bottles of the same wine. One decanted and the others not, or get them decanted for different lengths of time. You’ll know what you prefer in the end.

Recommendation of aerators/decanters

Aerator is a type of decanter that is much like a funnel. It allows the wine to pass through the vessel filled with flowing air, while a decanter enables you to pour in the wine directly. So we can see aerators behave better in more exposure to the air, while decanter is less time-consuming. If you like aerators, we have instant aerator and the double-stage aerator for you to choose. But if you would like to combine the advantages of the two vessels, this product may be the choice: Ecooe Glass Decanter with Built-in Aerator.