The jury is still out on all the perceived benefits of decanting your wine; however, there are many valid reasons why it is worthwhile doing.
Aged wines particularly benefit from decanting. Older red wines invariably have sediment, which sinks to the base of the bottle.
This can range from something akin to blackened gold leaf that coats the inside of the bottle, a fine slurry, or tartrates that can look like sand, diamond-like crystals or even what can appear to be shards of glass.
None of these are in any way harmful but can make your glass of wine a bit murky or ''gritty''.
Decanting off the sediment enhances the drinking experience.
Arm yourself with a torch or candle under the neck of the bottle so that you can see when the sediment starts rising.
Leftovers can be strained with coffee filters or tissue paper and enjoyed as is, or added to the gravy.
If you don't have a decanter, the humble kitchen funnel and a jug work fine. Wash out the original bottle and decant back into that.
Older wines can also sometimes have ''bottle stink'', when on opening they can have funky aromas.
Splashing some air into them can allow those aromas to blow off, while also allowing more reticent wines to fully express themselves.
On top of that, wine in a decanter just looks classy!
A trend that has been developing in the United States and Australia is for the sommelier or maitre d' of a restaurant to open a serious bottle of wine (or even a magnum), then hand-sell it by the glass around the dining room.
With the change in drink-driving limits many are electing to have just a glass of wine with their meal.
This option could let you make that one glass truly superlative.
Price: $99.99
Rating: Outstanding
Youthful nose, floral, with raspberry and red fruits. Savoury hints, spices, toasted barrel notes with wild herbs and stalk complexities. This powerful wine felt a little raw at first with grippy tannins, but unfolded enormously in the glass. A stunning wine with aeration: utterly delicious with fruit intensity and complexity.
Price: $60
Rating: Excellent
Riper, more rounded nose. Perfumed, raspberry again with barrel spices. Delicacy here. Beautifully integrated with an excellent mouthfeel, crisp acidity and fine and integrated tannins. A core of fruit runs through the wine. Long finish with spice notes, herbs and savoury notes. Finely detailed and nuanced.
Price: Around $45
Rating: Very good
Quite a perfumed (come hither) nose. A hint of sulphides then dark fruits, plum and cherry. Very fine with lovely balance. Light to medium weight: light on its feet with an overlay of tannin. Savoury notes open up. The wine fills the mouth. Sulphides on the finish and then it becomes more grippy with aeration.
