When to use a decanter? Insights from the expert.

Decanting is an Italian word that can indicate the praise of a person or, and this is what interests us, to separate two phases, solid - liquid or liquid - liquid of different densities.
In practice, it is done every time in any container the sediment is allowed not to come out with the liquid

For us lovers of life and wines, decanting is a process that has its own particular magic and must be carried out with great care and precision. The tool that allows decanting is the Decanter.
But when should it be used?

There are those who always use it to make an impression! Those who use it even on young white wines... In fact, it has its charm, it makes any banquet more elegant and solemn and embellishes the mise en place of every table.

But it doesn't always help. On the contrary! Sometimes it might ruin the wine

First of all, its function is to keep any solid suspensions on the bottom. Then it also oxygenates the wine, especially if it is a product aged for a long time in the cellar. But remember that to oxygenate there is nothing better than a nice large glass in which to let the wine rest for a few minutes before dinner.

Let's see what to do for each category below:

 

White wine vinified in steel, one year old young => no decanter is used

White wine vinified in steel, 2 — 5 years old => the decanter is not used

White wine vinified in a 5-year-old barrel or barrel => the decanter is not used

White wine vinified in barrels or barrels for 5 to 10 years = the decanter is used only if it has incrustations along the bottle wall (if it has been held vertically) or on the bottom of the bottle (if kept standing)

 

Red wine vinified in steel, one year old young => no decanter is used

Red wine vinified in steel for 2 to 5 years => the decanter is not used

Red wine vinified in steel from 5 years onwards => the decanter is used if there are tartaric encrustations along the walls of the bottle (if it has been kept lying down) or on the bottom (if it has been kept standing)

Red wine vinified in barrels or barrels, young up to 5 years => no decanter is used

Red wine vinified in barrels or barrels, from 5 years onwards => the decanter is used only if tartaric encrustations appear along the walls of the bottle (if it has been kept lying down) or on the bottom (if it has been kept standing).

 

As can be seen, therefore, decanting takes place a few times compared to what is normally done. It is done however and always when tartaric incrustations may release small pieces during the pouring of wine into glasses

 

You have the freedom to decide. Cheers!!

Fabio De Vecchi