The Differences You Should Know For Decanting Red Vs White Wines

When serving a fine wine, don't just pour it straight from the bottle, take the small yet vital step to decant it to get the most of the flavor. Decanting a wine essentially means slowly and carefully pouring the wine from the original bottle into a glass or crystal vessel. It's a vital process because it lets the wine aerate, and this exposure to oxygen will soften any bitterness and open up aroma and depth. Also, it doesn't hurt that decanting can help separate natural wine sediment or stop bits of cork from getting into your glass.

But is there a difference in how you should decant red wines as opposed to white ones? According to the experts, yes! "Each individual wine can be treated differently when you decant based on grape variety, region, winemaking methods, and age," said former sommelier, and founder of Home Coffee Expert and Decoding Wine, Matt Woodburn-Simmonds.

"Some big, full-bodied, tannic reds will need a lot of time to open up so we'd use a wide-bottomed decanter that exposed a larger surface area of the wine to the air. Some old wines also need more air but some, especially from the Burgundy region of France, require very delicate handling as they can easily oxidize when decanting," explained Woodburn-Simmonds.

But white wines don't need such a large decanter: "White wines in general need a lot less oxygen exposure to fully express themselves so a narrower decanter would be better for them," said the wine expert.

Decanting can be an art form that involves smelling and careful pouring, but there's no need to be intimidated. As long as you pour your wine slowly, you will achieve the goal of aerating it. To decant properly, tilt your wine bottle at a slight angle, and let the wine slide down the sides of the vessel you are decanting into to maximize the aeration.

Decanting can be done even a few hours before serving, so feel free to let your wine oxidize a bit before everyone is ready to start sipping. However, do make sure you either drink it all or recork it within 18 hours to avoid over-oxidation, which can make a wine go tart.

If you don't have a fancy glass or crystal decanter on hand, there is no need to worry. You can still decant a wine into other vessels in your house. A water pitcher, carafe, or even a clean flower vase can work as a great substitute for a decanter. Ultimately, decanting is about enhancing your wine experience, and with a little care and creativity, you can achieve great results no matter the vessel, or the type of wine!