We like to tell it to you straight, so we got to thinking, "are people actually decanting their red wine?"
We asked our Bright Cellars community, and the results tell all:
THE RESULTS
- 38.1% of respondents said “sometimes, if I have the time”
- 28.3% of respondents chose “never, it doesn’t make any difference to me.”
- 19.6% of respondents asked, “what’s decanting?”
- 14.1% of respondents said, “always, it improves the flavor!”
We also asked our Bright Cellars Instagram community and got some thoughtful responses:
- If I have the time, yes. But I always use an aerator!
- Yes, if it’s an older vintage of a larger wine.
- It depends! If the wine needs it, then I do.
If you don't already own a decanter, let us make our case for why you should run out and buy one!
Firstly, decanting aerates your wine which brings out the original aromas and flavors. Secondly, decanting decreases the chance of sediment in your glass.
For a more in-depth dive into the benefits of decanting, check out our blog post Why You Should Be Decanting Your Red Wine.
While all wines can benefit from the decanting process, you should primarily decant your cheaper red wines or your red wines that have been aged over 20 years. You’ll notice quite a difference post-decant. If you decide to give it a try, pour yourself a sip straight from the bottle. Then decant for 20 minutes to two hours, and see if you taste a difference.
An alternative to decanting
If timing is the problem (we get it, sometimes you just want to dive into your favorite bottle of wine ASAP), there are some alternatives that provide a similar effect. Try using an in-bottle aerator to aerate your wine instead. As you pour, the aerator will oxygenate the wine in the same way a decanter would, without the wait.
In Vino Finito
Do you notice a different when you decant? Let's chat decanting in the comments!
