Who has never wondered what the difference is between decanting and aerating? Domaine du Goût lifts the veil on these two techniques to help you enjoy all your wines to the fullest!
Why aerate a wine?
Aeration is recommended mainly for young red wines. Indeed, putting white or rosé wines in a carafe doesn’t add much to these wines, which are often meant to be consumed within two years of the harvest. Aerating simply means pouring the wine into a carafe to open it up and especially to oxygenate it. Preferably, choose a carafe with wide walls and a flared neck. The benefit of aerating a wine is to maximize its contact with oxygen over the largest possible surface area. This technique allows the wine to develop all its aromas.
To know whether or not to aerate a wine, we advise you to always taste it first. If your wine shows little expression, if it doesn’t seem fruity on the nose, that’s a sign it should be aerated. If it is not very aromatic on the palate and seems tight or even harsh, aerate it as well.
Ideally, aerate a wine one to two hours before serving. To keep the wine in good condition, aerate it at the right temperature. Don’t hesitate to place your carafe in an ice bucket if it risks warming up.
Be careful, if your wine is made from the Pinot noir grape variety, such as many from Burgundy or some from Alsace, do not aerate it. This grape variety is very sensitive to oxygen exposure.
Why decant a wine?
Unlike young wines, it is old wines that are decanted. Here, the technique is the opposite of aeration because the wine should have as little contact with oxygen as possible to avoid destroying its aromas. To decant a wine, pour it into a very narrow carafe that you immediately seal with a stopper.
The purpose of decanting a wine is to remove the sediment found at the bottom of the bottle. This is essentially filtering the wine.
Unlike aeration, decant as late as possible, right before serving the wine.
Light, or the art of decanting a wine
Good lighting will be your ally when decanting wine. Indeed, during the process, it is recommended to stand under a strong light source to easily spot the sediment particles as they appear. Wine professionals recommend the candle technique, which is considered the ideal light for decanting: strong enough to clearly identify the particles, but gentle on the eyes.
Make sure to pour your wine as slowly as possible without stopping while decanting, and avoid any sudden movements. Also, do not swirl the bottle while pouring.
Just like aerated wines, decanted wines should be kept at the ideal temperature.
Did you enjoy these tips?
If you liked this article, don’t hesitate to check out our article on “how to taste a wine?” and many others in our Blog section.
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