How to Decant Wine

Welcome to Vine to Wine, this is your host Linda Moran. When thinking about opening those special red wines in our cellars, we have a consideration to make; to decant - or not to decant the wine. On today's program we are going to discuss how to decant a bottle of red wine – assuming you have decided to decant. So you have decided to use one of those decanters you keep around. The primary purpose of decanting is to remove the sediment from the wine and to allow it to open up and as they say breathe. To decant properly you need to plan ahead. Begin by standing the bottle upright in your cellar for a few days, allowing the sediment to fall and settle at the bottom of the bottle. You will need some basic equipment to execute the decanting - a glass decanter, a candle, a wine opener and a towel or napkin to wipe up any drips. Most red wines are in a very dark glass bottle so remove the foil entirely from the neck and remove the cork. Light your candle. Hold the decanter firmly at a ninety degree angle in one hand and in the other tilt the decanter to catch the wine as you pour. Hold the neck of the bottle over the lit candle so the light allows you to see the wine as it passes through the narrow neck of the bottle to the decanter. Pour slowly until you begin to see the wine turn cloudy or the first sign of sediment and then stop pouring. Set aside the bottle and set the decanted wine on the table. Blow out the candle and you are finished decanting your special bottle of wine. And thanks for joining me on today's Vine to Wine.