Decanting Service
Decanting Service
Section titled “Decanting Service”
Decanting is the most theatrical thing a sommelier does at the table, and also the most misunderstood. Guests think it is about showmanship. Candidates sometimes think it is about aeration. In truth there are two separate reasons to decant, they call for slightly different handling, and knowing which one you are doing — and being able to explain it to the guest — is half the skill.
The two reasons to decant
Section titled “The two reasons to decant”To separate wine from sediment. Older reds, vintage Ports, and unfiltered wines throw a deposit over time. Here the goal is a clean pour that leaves the sediment behind in the bottle. You handle the bottle gently, keep it near-horizontal to avoid stirring the deposit, and stop pouring the instant sediment reaches the shoulder.
To aerate a young, tight wine. A youthful, tannic red or a reductive wine can open up with exposure to air. Here the goal is the opposite of gentle — you can pour with some splash to introduce oxygen. The wine is usually stable with no sediment to protect.
Because these goals differ, the first question you answer before decanting is why, and you tailor your handling to that answer.
Decanting for sediment, step by step
Section titled “Decanting for sediment, step by step”- Handle the bottle carefully from the start. If it has been standing upright to let sediment settle, keep it that way; if you must move it, cradle it without shaking. Many operations bring an old bottle to the table in a basket to keep it steady.
- Present the bottle to the host and confirm the wine before opening.
- Open gently. Cut the foil, wipe the neck, and extract the cork carefully. Old corks can crumble, so ease the worm in and pull slowly; a two-pronged (Ah-So) puller is safer for fragile corks.
- Wipe the neck and set your light source. Position a candle, phone light, or the room’s light behind the shoulder of the bottle so you can watch the wine flow.
- Pour in one steady, continuous motion. Tilt the decanter and pour slowly and evenly. Watch the neck against your light.
- Stop at the first sediment. As soon as you see the deposit reach the shoulder and begin to enter the neck, stop. Leave the last ounce or two — with its sediment — in the bottle.
- Serve from the decanter. Present the decanter, offer the host a taste, and serve. Keep the original bottle nearby so the guest can see the label.
Aerating a young wine
Section titled “Aerating a young wine”The setup is the same through opening, but you may pour more briskly to splash the wine against the side of the decanter and expose it to air. There is no need for a candle or a careful stop, since you are not protecting a deposit. If a wine is extremely tight, a wide-bottomed decanter increases the wine’s surface contact with air.
Judgment: when not to decant
Section titled “Judgment: when not to decant”Decanting is not automatic. A delicate, mature wine can fade quickly once poured off its sediment, so some fragile old bottles are better served carefully straight from the bottle. Always ask or read the situation rather than decanting reflexively. And confirm the guest wants it — some prefer to watch a wine evolve in the glass.
What earns and loses points
Section titled “What earns and loses points”- Earns: a clean pour with sediment left behind, a smooth continuous motion, correct use of a light source, and a clear one-sentence explanation of why you are decanting.
- Loses: shaking the bottle before pouring, pouring past the sediment into the decanter, decanting a fragile old wine that then collapses, or decanting silently without telling the guest what you are doing or why.
Practice the sediment pour with a bottle of water and a spoon of coffee grounds or fine sand — you will quickly feel the steadiness the real pour demands, and see exactly where a hurried tilt sends the deposit into the neck.