Decant Only When the Purpose Is Clear
Choose whether to decant based on the wine's age, structure, sediment, and current expressiveness.
Before you decant, name the job. Decanting can add oxygen, remove sediment, adjust temperature, or simply add ceremony. Only the first two are core service reasons. Oxygen decant Use this for young, concentrated, tannic wines that taste closed. Choose enough surface area and time to let aroma and texture open, then monitor. Sediment decant Use this for older or unfiltered wines with visible sediment. Keep the movement gentle, use light, stop early, and serve promptly. Skip the decant Skip when the wine is already expressive, fragile, sparkling, or likely to lose freshness. A glass can be enough aeration for many…
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