for: Decanter (magazine)

Decanters vary in shape and design. They are usually made of an inert material (such as glass) and will hold at least one standard bottle of wine (0.75 liter). J. Robinson (ed) "The Oxford Companion to Wine" Third Edition pg 223-225 Oxford University Press 2006 ISBN 0198609906

A similar kind of vessel, the carafe, is also used for serving wine but is not supplied with a stopper.

History

Styles

Wine decanters are often ornate and come with a stoppered lid, which may have a rod to aid decanting. Most decanters have a tall, upright shape and are made of glass, often lead crystal, to allow observation of the process of decanting. Decanters are also designed in various modernized shapes. Carafes are used for less expensive wines.

Other uses

Other beverages, such as cognac or single malt Scotch whiskey, are often stored and served in decanters, which generally have a stopper. A few expensive cognacs and malt whiskeys are sold in showy decanters.

Wine decanting process

Liquid from another vessel is poured into the decanter in order to separate a small volume of liquid, containing the sediment, from a larger volume of "clear" liquid, which is free of such. In the process, the sediment is left in the original vessel, and the clear liquid is transferred to the decanter.

Decanters have been used for serving wines that are laden with sediments in the original bottle. These sediments could be the result of a very old wine or one that was not filtered or clarified during the winemaking process. In most modern winemaking, the need to decant for this purpose has been significantly reduced to where not as many wines produce a significant amount of sediment as they age.

Discussion on wine aeration

Decanting wine can also serve the purpose of aerating the wine. This controversial aspect may, depending on which view, either benefit the wine by smoothing some of the harsher aspects of the wine (like tannins or potential wine faults like mercaptans) or it may be detrimental to the wine by causing it to oxidize and lose some of its aromatic qualities.

Whether to aerate wine or not is one of the most controversial topics in wine.D. Sogg Decanting:Aeration -- friend and enemy of wine Wine Spectator Nov 15th, 2003

Another aspect of decanting wine is allowing it to "breathe". In this regard the decanter is meant to mimic the effects of swirling the wine glass to stimulate the movement of molecules in the wine to trigger the release of more aroma compounds. The effectiveness of decanting is a topic of debate with some wine experts, like oenologist Émile Peynaud, claiming that the prolonged exposure to oxygen actually diffuses and dissipates more aroma compounds than it stimulates in contrast to the effects of the smaller scale exposure and immediate release that swirling the wine in a drinker's glass has. Still many wine writers, such as author Katherine McNeil in book The Wine Bible, advocate the use of decanting for the benefit of aeration, especially with very tannic wines like Barolo, Bordeaux, Cabernet Sauvignon, Port, and Rhône wines while noting that decanting could be harmful for more delicate wines like Chianti, Pinot noir and Rioja wine. K. MacNeil The Wine Bible pg 93-95 Workman Publishing 2001 ISBN 1563054345 However, the process of decanting, over a period a few hours, doesn't have the effect of softening tannins. The softening of tannins occur during the winemaking and oak when tannins go through a process of polymerization that can last days or weeks. Decanting does have the effect of altering the perception of sulfites and other chemical compounds in the wine through oxidation which can give some drinkers the sense of softer tannins in the wine.