It is known that the taste characteristics of alcohol-containing products largely depend not only on the quality of the raw materials used and the subtleties of the manufacturing process, but also on the method of supply. To allow the wine to fully reveal its best qualities, experienced sommeliers use special techniques in their work with the use of various accessories. One of the main ways to improve the organoleptic properties of alcohol is decantation - the slow pouring of liquid from a bottle into a special glass vessel. Consider what a magical wine decanter is and how to choose the right one depending on the type of drink.

Purpose of the accessory

What is better a classic dusty bottle or a mystical jug, everyone decides for himself

Many connoisseurs of noble wines are interested in the question of what a decanter is and why it is needed. In fact, this is a kind of elegant decanter made of food glass, which has a special shape and a certain ratio of sizes in its narrow and wide parts. They began to use a special container for serving alcohol at the dawn of winemaking, when they noticed that pouring a product from a barrel or bottle can significantly improve its taste, color and smell. Now the main goals of decanting include the following:

• suspension removal and;
• additional oxidation of unripe grape fermentation products;
• aeration or weathering, allowing the liquid to be saturated with oxygen;
• giving the process of serving alcohol a special elegance and aesthetics.

Wines for decanting

Not every drink is designed to perform a transfusion ritual. The following products can be safely decanted:

Decant, experiment!

• young grape nectars to get rid of sediment;
• ripened red and white wine for oxygenation;
• excessively tart fermentation products of red grape varieties to soften the taste;
• filtered white wines for extra airing;
• some sparkling drinks to remove excess gases and stabilize.

There is no point in carrying out the procedure for cognacs, liqueurs and inexpensive wine products that have undergone tough processing and filtration before bottling.

Important! Decanting aged rare white and red wines can lead to their destruction and a significant deterioration in taste characteristics.

How to choose the shape of the decanter

In the process of desludge or aeration, the shape of the decanters used plays an important role. Consider which vessel to choose for each type of decanted liquid.

To improve the properties of the drink during decantation, the following rules must be observed:

Accessory care

In order for the decanter for serving wine to serve for a long time and better help to reveal the character of the drink, it should be properly looked after:

• washing is carried out only by hand, without the use of a dishwasher;
• it is forbidden to use dishwashing detergents with a pronounced odor, which can be absorbed into the walls of the vessel and spoil the properties of alcohol when served;
• for better cleaning, it is recommended to use thin silicone brushes with a long thick pile;
• it is necessary to dry the containers in a vertical position or at an angle, putting on a special pin;
• before serving, the glass surface must be carefully polished with a linen napkin;
• when a dark coating appears on the inner walls, it is recommended to clean the decanter with a mixture of table vinegar and any cereal (rice, pearl barley, buckwheat).

2015-11-28

Date: 28 11 2015

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Good afternoon dear readers! On the eve of the New Year holidays, when it is impossible to do without a glass of good wine, I would like to invite you to discuss some of the processes of drinking this wonderful drink, which is called "the sun in a glass." To be, so to speak, closer to the finished wine, let's talk about the last stages of the process. A special type of glass decanter called a decanter is used to clear wine from suspension. You ask: “What is a decanter?”Now we will figure out what this mysterious vessel is for many.

What is a decanter and what is it used for?

Decanters are glass carafes used in the process of decanting wine. Decantation is the process of pouring wine from a bottle into a specialized vessel . Decanting or decanting solves the following issues:

A little about the history of the decanter

Surprisingly, wine lovers used such vessels even before our era. Then decanters were made of ceramics. These were well-known amphoras. They were filled with wine before serving. Archaeological excavations give reason to assert that glass decanters were willingly used in Ancient Rome. After the crowds of barbarians staggered and then defeated the Roman Empire, the production of glass vessels fell sharply. Glassware began to be replaced by bronze, copper or porcelain. The center of glass production slowly moved to Venice. Local artisans improved the glassmaking process with great success. Their glass was highly valued and of excellent quality.

The Venetians thought of making an unusual bottle with a wide bottom and a long neck. Such ecapacity began to be usedto purify wine. The decanter, which has just such a shape, is still considered traditional and is used everywhere.

Which wines should be decanted

Basically, decantation is subjected to:

• Red and white matured wines - to remove sediment.
• Unripe "young" red wines with pronounced tannins - to soften the tart taste of expressive, unripe tannins, so that the wine reveals its delicious full aroma and characteristic taste.
• Young white wines - for ventilation.
• Red wines of many years of aging are decanted only by highly professional specialists, and even then, if they are sure that they will not “break” the wine by disturbing it. With inept movements, so old wine can simply be “killed”.

Which decanter shape is preferred for certain wines and why

The shape of the decanter is of great importance during decanting. Currently, decanters of the most diverse, sometimes even bizarre forms are being produced. Ripe reds and whites wines that have been aged for many years naturally contain sediment (most commonly "tartar"). Of course, the sediment that has fallen to the bottom of the bottle once again proves that the drink has a long history, but at the same time, the appearance still deteriorates somewhat. This is where a decanter comes in handy. Decanters that are designed for such wines are always made with a narrow neck, and the base is made of a spherical shape.
This form includes decanters in the form of a duck , similar to the classic "pot-bellied" decanter with a glass stopper.

Funnel-shaped decanters with a wide base are intended for young red wines that have not yet shown their potential. The poured wine should be located no higher than the level of the widest part of the container. During pouring, the wine mixes with atmospheric oxygen, which allows the taste and aroma to unfold. Decanters for such wines are produced without corks and lids. The taste and aroma of the poured drink directly depends on the area that is in contact with atmospheric oxygen.

Now let's look at what happens in the decanterfor white guilt . In white young wines, sediment is practically absent. They are decanted for the sole purpose of mixing oxygen with wine, which ennobles the aroma, “opening up”, as experts would say. The neck in this case is funnel-shaped, the lower part is not limited to a certain shape, the main thing is that it is not too narrow.

Decanting technology

For young wines

In a clean decanter intended for the decantation process, pour a little wine, rinse the vessel with it, letting it drain along the walls. Then pour into a separate glass. This is done to eliminate odors. Now you can pour the wine in the same way as it is usually poured into a glass.

For mature wines

Pouring mature wine requires special skill. Sometimes a bottle a day before serving a noble drink is brought from the cellar, where it was stored in a horizontal position, placed vertically so that the sediment particles sit on the bottom. Then, after the required time, decanting is performed. In other cases, the bottle is gently and carefully carried out of the wine cellar in a horizontal position, then placed in a special basket to allow sediment particles to settle. After 15 minutes, pour the wine. This must be done with a confident smooth one-momentary movement so that the poured wine does not pour back into the bottle.

Decanter Tricks

In order for the precipitate to separate to the greatest extent, an experienced bartender has small tricks. The bottle that will be opened must be placed vertically for a while. This will help the resulting sediment to fall to the bottom. When serving, it would be nice to light a candle. What will it give? If mature wine is poured, a candle helps not to miss the moment, the sediment approaching the neck. The bartender will immediately stop the spill. If unripe wine is poured, then the candle will give the case a special chic.

How to care for a wine decanter

• The decanter cannot be washed in a dishwasher; specialized equipment and detergents are on sale.
• Use only special, fragrance-free detergents.
• When a dark coating appears on decanters for red wine, pour a little table vinegar into them, throw a couple of pinches of rice or barley. Gently rock the container from side to side. You will soon see how effectively your decanter has been cleaned. Rinse it with boiled water several times, wipe it from the outside with a glass cloth with microfiber.
• Wipe wipes periodically wash and boil.
• It is necessary to dry decanters on rods installed at an angle, and preferably vertically.

My remarks

I think that as a result of our conversation today, dear readers, we have in general figured out what a wine decanter is and what it is for. In order to make the celebration stylish, it is absolutely not necessary to go to a restaurant. Using interesting and useful wine accessories at home, we can bring the customs of the best restaurants into our home.

Good luck with your shopping and happy mood before the holidays! See you soon!

Always yours Irina.

Decanter(eng. Decanter) is a special glass decanter designed for decanting and serving wine. Mature wines need to be decanted to separate the pigmentation sediment that has settled to the bottom of the bottle over time. Traditionally, when pouring from a bottle into a decanter, the Sommelier monitors the approach of the sediment to the neck of the bottle in the light of a wax candle. After spending a short time in the decanter, mature wines are carefully poured into glasses, leaving the sediment from the bottle at the bottom of the decanter.

Young tannic wines with potential for long aging often need to be poured into a decanter before serving, not to separate the sediment, but to oxygenate and accelerate the oxidation process, that is, to accelerate maturation and readiness for consumption. To speed up the oxidation, the decanter with wine is actively shaken. Decantation time for young wines can range from 30 minutes to several hours before serving.
Classic decanters are made from clear glass, crystal or crystal, hand-blown or produced in large factories. Classic decanters are designed for a volume of wine of one and two liters, respectively, based on a bottle of 0.75 liters and 1.5 liters.

Modern decanters also come in various shapes and sizes, and are made of colored glass.

Why do you need a Decanter?

So, a decanter is a vessel into which wine, both old and young, is poured, subjecting it to aeration (oxygen saturation), and also freeing it from sediment. In addition, many decanters have an aesthetic purpose, because the wine goes directly from it into the glasses.
There are two main types of decanters - designed for old and young wines. Strong aeration is necessary for young wines, since young wine, saturated with oxygen, has a brighter and deeper aroma, it is much more velvety and pleasant on the palate, so the area of ​​​​contact of the wine itself with air is important here. Hence the shape of such decanters - as a rule, it is a funnel-shaped neck and a thickened lower part, for example, the Tyrol decanter. But, there are exceptions - some decanters have such a bizarre spiral structure that the wine is saturated with air while smoothly flowing into the lower part in a spiral.

Old wines, on the contrary, are already saturated with oxygen, this happens during the entire period of storage of the wine, through the cork, and therefore, decanters for such wines have a slightly different shape - as a rule, these are spherical vessels, or vessels with a narrow neck, or duck-shaped or decanter-shaped. In any case, a decanter designed for old, aged wine will try to keep the drink in contact with air as little as possible.

However, all these nuances can be ignored, but, for example, young wine should be decanted a couple of hours before serving, and old wine should be poured into a decanter immediately before drinking.

The best decanters are made exclusively from crystal, in order to emphasize the beauty of the wine and its aesthetics. You can find decanters made of good glass on the market, but these are cheaper options that cannot be compared in quality, aesthetics and functionality with handmade crystal counterparts.

Among other things, decanters, of course, vary in volume, from those designed to decant one bottle of 750 ml, to those that allow you to place about two liters of wine at once. You should not fill the decanter to capacity, nor should you pour too little wine, so focus on a slightly larger capacity than you need (about a quarter).

How to properly decant wine

Proper decanting of wine is a simple process. Before pouring a drink from a bottle, it is common to rinse the decanter with a small amount of wine to eliminate odors. This wine is then poured out. Pour the wine carefully, along the wall of the vessel, until about two to three tablespoons of the drink remain in the bottle. This will separate the wine from its sediment, which is inevitable in aged wines, and, quite often, in young ones. Naturally, it is not recommended to keep the wine in the decanter for a long time, it is best to use it in one day.
Well, today, a wine jug has ceased to be just a jug - it has become much more multifaceted, more functional and more elegant than in the Middle Ages, when it was intended only for beautifully serving wine on the table.

Decanting wines, old and young, is much more correct than serving wine right in the bottle, both in terms of taste and aesthetics, finesse and perfection!

Wine needs to breathe. Ideally, if it will breathe in a decanter. There are several basic decanter shapes designed specifically for a particular type of drink. We understand the forms of the decanter and the intricacies of serving wine.

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On the picture:

What is a decanter for?

Decanters are made of glass or crystal, but this does not mean that their variety depends only on the shape of the vessel. There are decanters with painting, engraving or metal, often silver, overlays.

In the photo: Tray Pm 03799 from the Eichholtz factory.

Let the guilt breathe! A decanter (from French Decanter - to decant, drain) is a wine decanter for aeration (oxygenation) of wine. After the bottle has been uncorked, most varieties of wine require a short respite: poured 20-30 minutes before serving into an open carafe, the wine "breathes", changing its properties. Connoisseurs say that the taste of wine in the decanter becomes brighter.

Draft - no! Unlike bottles (where mostly dark or colored “bottle” glass is used), a wine decanter is made exclusively from clear glass, crystal and crystal. The decanter allows you to carefully pour wine into glasses, controlling its purity and getting rid of sediment - the main problem of aged wines.

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On the picture:

Manufacturers include decanters—often handmade—in some of their wine glass collections. They allow you to control the sediment in aged wines, and the young wine to be saturated with oxygen.

How to choose the right decanter?

What does the shape of the decanter say? The shape of the vessel directly depends on what kind of wine it is intended for. For young wine, it is recommended to use a decanter with a wide bottom and a funnel neck, a decanter for aged wine - with a spherical bottom, so it is easier to get rid of sediment in a noble drink. Decanter in the form of a vase or amphora is designed for rose wines. For white and rosé wines, carafes are usually made with a lid - such varieties are not supposed to breathe too much.

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Many wines are poured into a special glass vessel, most often in the form of a decanter, before serving. This vessel is called a decanter, and the process itself is called decantation. Pour the wine slowly, directing the jet along the wall of the vessel. It is not recommended to store wine in a decanter; it is usually consumed within a day.

Why decantation is needed

Properly carried out decantation makes the taste bouquet of wine more balanced, softens it and contributes to a more complete manifestation of the aromatic component. Experts use the term "breathe wine." The fact is that wine changes its chemical composition during aging. In this case, as a result of the ongoing oxidation processes, sulfides can be released into the drink. In young wines, especially powerful ones, tannins can be present in significant amounts. Both those and other compounds worsen the taste of wine, but they are easily removed even with a short airing.

Another reason for decanting wine is the need to separate it from the sediment formed as a result of the crystallization of tartaric acid. As a rule, the sediment is most clearly formed in red wines aged 5-7 years. And although such pigment inclusions do not affect the taste of wine and its aroma at all, wine containing sediment does not look very aesthetically pleasing in a glass. In addition, the appearance of the decanter serves the same aesthetics - wine looks more attractive in an elegantly shaped transparent decanter.

Which wines are decanted

Decanting is most often done on red wines, less often on whites. Rosé wines are usually not decanted, nor is it recommended for very old rare wines. Their chemical composition is complex, and overflowing can disrupt the structure of the drink and destroy its unique organoleptic qualities.

Authoritative sommeliers believe that the decanting procedure is useful for many Italian wines: red Bordeaux, Tuscan Chianti, Piedmontese Barolo. The best sommelier in the world, Andreas Larsson, does not recommend decanting wines made from Pinot Noir and Grenache grapes, as excessive exposure to oxygen leads to the loss of their original aroma.

About the shape of decanters

Old and young wines require different degrees of aeration. Old wines, already saturated with oxygen due to its gradual entry through the bottle cap, do not need active contact with air. Therefore, for aged wines, decanters are used that have the shape of a classic decanter - narrow-necked spherical vessels.

Young wine needs a large area of ​​contact with air - intense oxygenation improves its taste, deepens and brightens the aroma. Decanters with thick bottoms and funnel-shaped necks are used here. To speed up the readiness of wine for drinking, such a vessel is gently but actively shaken during decantation.