Most experts agree that decanting a wine depends largely on the wine’s age and varietal characteristics. Most young wines, especially big, bold reds such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Barolo or Syrah benefit from decanting. Not because it helps to soften tannins, but rather by dissipating undesirable sulfer-based compounds it allows the fruit characteristics to concentrate and intensify giving more focused aromas and a smoother mouthfeel, making tannins appear softer. To work effectively, the decanter needs to have lots of surface area such as the Riedel Ultra Decanter or the Riedel Duck Decanter, which combines practicality with aesthetics. In case you’re concerned about leaded glass, try The Ultimate Decanter by Nachtmann or the Eisch Dripless Captain’s Decanter as lead-free alternatives.

In effect, decanting isn’t adding anything to the wine. Instead, it’s subtracting undesirable compounds through dissipation and evaporation. However, allowing the wine to sit too long in a decanter can have a detrimental effect. Decanting any wine too far in advance of serving could rob the wine of the very fruit aromas that you are trying to enhance. With a younger wine, you could be left with an overly-oaky and harsh taste as the fruit characteristics oxidize. With older wines, you could end up with something stale, flat and lacking in richness. So what’s the best way to decant and still hit this elusive sweet-spot?

Allow your wine to settle in an upright position for at least one day for younger wines and preferably as long as four days for wines older than 15 years. This gives the fine particles of sediment time to settle to the bottom of the bottle if you’ve been storing it horizontally.

Plan to open your wine about 90 minutes prior to when you anticipate drinking it. Carefully remove the foil entirely and wipe off the neck of the bottle. Remove the cork without disturbing the wine too much. Start off by trying some of the wine straight out of the bottle. If the aromas are intense and flavors are full and rich, the only reason to decant would be to remove any sediment, so you could wait to decant immediately before serving. Go ahead and stick the cork back in it and wait until you’re ready to serve it. The amount of air exposure from opening the bottle is negligible. If on the other hand the wine seems tight, lacking in aromas and fruit character, or has some slight sulfur odors, you should decant well in advance of drinking.

The traditional proper way to decant wine was using a candle under the neck of the bottle to see when sediment starts to pour out. That’s just too tricky and messy. The new proper way to decant wine is using a bright flashlight. Shine the beam through the neck of the bottle as you gently and slowly pour from the bottle into the decanter. Stop when you begin to see particles or cloudiness. You should have less than an ounce or two left with sediment which is discarded. An easier method uses a funnel with a very fine screen to filter out all but the smallest sediment particles which will most likely remain in the decanter. The sediment in wine occurs naturally as wine ages and molecules of color and tannins precipitate from the wine. This sediment is harmless but gives wine an undesirable cloudy appearance and could add unpleasant bitter flavors and grittiness.

What about white wines? Most white wines won’t have any sediment unless they haven’t been cold-stabilized, in which case, you may get small tartrate crystals. Some white wines will benefit from decanting, allowing more of the fruit and mineral characteristics to shine through as sulfur compounds and fermentation aromas evaporate. But many people like to decant a white wine simply because it makes for better presentation. In this case, a decanter such as the Riedel Amadeo Lyra Decanter makes for an impressive way to serve your white wines. A more cost-conscious yet elegant option is the Riedel Cornetto Sommelier Decanter.

So whether its to filter out sediment or to open up a young wine, or simply to serve your wine with elegance, there’s an art to decanting and IWA has a great selection of decanters to help you decant in style.

In some circles, decanting wine is a controversial subject. Should you decant wine? Does it enhance the wine? What do experts recommend? Let’s begin with two examples of when you should decant a wine.

A great opportunity to decant is with young wines, especially big, bold reds such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Barolo or Zinfandel. These wines benefit from decanting because it helps to soften those tannins that are so assertive in their youth. It also gives younger wines, which are sometimes a little tight, some time to open up and more fully express their aromas and flavors. For young red wines, a decanter such as the Spiegelau Vino Grande or The Ultimate Decanter by Nachtmann with a wide base and lots of surface area works best.

Here’s another instance when you should decant. You’re about the pull the cork on a really nice bottle of wine and, oops, the cork breaks and several pieces fall into the bottle. You could try and fish the pieces out, but there’s so many smaller pieces that it would take too long. And you’re really wanting to have some of that wine right now. With a funnel such as The Ultimate Pewter Funnel, you can simply pour the wine through the screen of the funnel into a decanter and easily remove the cork pieces. Problem solved.

The Wine Finer

But what about older wines? Wines such as older red Bordeaux or Châteauneuf-du-Pape really don’t need to soften or open up. As a matter of fact, extended time in a decanter will only reduce the very characteristics of older wines that you want to retain. However, some older wines need to be decanted to remove the sediment and this is best done immediately before serving to retain its mature and sometimes delicate bouquet. Allow your wine to rest for at least an hour before you gently remove the cork and slowly pour it into a decanter while leaving the sediment in the bottle. Connoisseurs like to use a bright light source near the bottle to see when they’ve reached the sediment, but an easier way is to simply pour the wine through the Wine Finer to capture the sediment in the bottle.

What about white wines? Good question. Few white wines really benefit from decanting, but many people like to decant a white wine because it makes for better presentation. In this case, a decanter such as the Rojaus Decanter or the Riedel Cornetto Sommelier Decanter makes for an impressive way to serve your white wines.

So whether its to filter out sediment or a broken cork, to soften and open up a young wine, or simply to serve your wine with elegance, there’s always a good reason to decant and IWA has a great selection of decanters and funnels to help you decant in style.

I can’t believe it’s almost Thanksgiving! Where has the year gone? Well, it’s not too late to get your table and wine ready for the holidays. Let’s take a look at some ways to dress up your table and serve your wine in style.

Cylindrical Suberin Helical Extractors

Sorry, I geeked out for a sec. They’re better known as corkscrews, and they come in a variety of styles and prices, but here’s a few that are perfect for the holidays.

Bronze Estate Opener

This reproduction of an ingenious 19th century opener will accommodate both standard and flanged bottles. It clamps directly onto a table or can be displayed on a handsome table stand. With one swing of the handle, the cork is penetrated and removed. To re-cork, simply reverse the motion. Opening wine has never been so easy…and so elegant.

Vertical Rabbit

If you’ve never used one of Metrokane’s Rabbit corkscrews, you have to try it to understand just how easy it is to use. I have the original Rabbit corkscrew and think it’s great but the new Vertical Rabbit has given me corkscrew envy. Just like the original Rabbit, the Vertical Rabbit can extract a cork in 3 seconds and automatically ejects the cork. But this one is sleeker and beautiful to look at too.

Waiter’s Corkscrew – Rosewood Corkscrew with Pouch

Perhaps you’re a little more traditional and like the feel of wood and leather. This Rosewood Corkscrew with a Mulholland Brothers leather pouch is the one for you. Flawlessly crafted and beautifully finished, this waiter’s corkscrew will last a lifetime worth of wine.

Decanters

With all the new gadgets out there now to aerate wines, are decanters really necessary? Absolutely. Decanters will never go out of style and it’s still the best way to present your finest wines allowing them to breathe while showcasing the wine in an elegant way. And what better time to add a little elegance to a meal than when family and friends gather for Thanksgiving?

Eisch Dripless Silhouette Decanter

What make this decanter different from the rest? The surface of the glass on this decanter is specially treated keeping those pesky final drops of wine inside the decanter and off your dinner table. A perfect pour every time!

Ravenscroft Spiral Decanter

The unique spiral design of this lead-free decanter allows for better gripping while the 7″ wide base allows for maximum aeration of your wine. Perfect for not only the holidays but also for everyday use.

Riedel Amadeo Lyra Decanter

For the ultimate in elegance, the Riedel Amadeo Lyra Decanter can’t be surpassed for a combination of form with function. Created to commemorate both the 250th anniversary of Riedel Crystal, as well as the 250th birthday of Amadeus Mozart. Handmade, mouthblown 24% lead crystal crafted in Austria.

Stemware

You’ve had those wine glasses since college. You know the ones I’m talking about: dinky little bowls with a big thick rolled rim. They’ve served you well, but isn’t it about time you kicked it up a notch and invest in a nice set of wine glasses. If you’ve looked at your stemware lately and said to yourself, “We need to get some better wine glasses,” then don’t put it off any longer. Here are some wine stems in which you’ll be proud to serve wine to your family and friends.

The One by Andrea Robinson

Andrea Robinson’s The One Glass eliminates the guesswork and complexity from stemware selection, and rivals the finest European stemware for both grace and performance. No need to fill you cabinets with different glasses for each varietal; all you’ll need is The One for Red and The One for White. These glasses optimize the aroma and taste of any wine, old or young, steal or splurge. Go ahead and put them in your dishwasher The One glasses will continue to shine like a diamond!

Ultima Stemware

Ultima Stemware is the greatest innovation in glassware since the invention of the stem. They are brighter, stronger and more durable than other glasses on the market. Lead-free and machine-made these glasses are extremely resistant to chipping and breaking. They’re dishwasher safe and won’t dull or become clouded.

Riedel Sommelier Stemware

The Sommeliers Series is Riedel’s top of the line. Each varietal specific stem is individually mouth-blown and hand-finished to a level of perfection unparalleled by machine-made stemware. This 24% lead crystal glass is unsurpassed in its ability to enhance your fine wine experience. “The best wine glasses ever made.” Robert M. Parker Jr., The Wine Advocate