To Decant or Not to Decant

This is a little something I came up with as sort of a guide for why and what is the best way to decant red wine. Very few white wines benefit from decanting, however very few red wines don't benefit from decanting.

v  Decanting any red wine will make it taste better

Ø  2 main reasons for decanting wine:

§  To remove sediment

§  Let the wine aerate

·             Volatile components evaporate

·             Right amount of oxidation

Ø  Wine’s will taste smoother, more “round,” more complex, better integrated, less “tight,” less alcoholic, less bitter, and will last longer on the palate

Ø  The more expensive the wine the more important decanting is

Ø  Ideal range for decanting is 1½ to 3 hours. Most people in restaurants don’t have that kind of time, but the closer it is to that range the better

Ø  People prefer oxygen levels between 4-6ppm (parts per million). Most bottles start around 2ppm where they will taste “tight” and after it hits 8.6 will taste oxidized