Decanting is mainly to separate wine from sediment as found in older wines and ports. The second reason is to improve wine by introducing air, in the hope that a little oxidation will improve the taste.
The question is, when should I do it? Some say never, but I feel there are times when it is necessary . As I have mentioned red wine and port intended for long ageing usually throw a sediment and a need to be decantered and filtered.
Screw top wines – whether red or white which have less contact with oxygen than those under a cork require decanting or sloshing into a jug or carafe to open them up.
Also remember older wines requires little time between being opened and drinking, whereas young wines do, so aerating helps in the process of unlocking them . Young white wines sometimes benefit from decanting even more than young reds.
Finally at Xmas I was given by my darling wife a new gadget called Decantus It is a pourer which helps aerate wine through a diagonal air tube inside it. For me a great success. They can be purchased from Castle Gaite Interiors on Waterloo Terrace. (£30)
