Adecanter is a vessel that is used to hold thedecantation of a liquid (such aswine) which may containsediment. Decanters,[1] which have a varied shape and design, have been traditionally made fromglass orcrystal. Their volume is usually equivalent to one standardbottle of wine (0.75 litre).[2]
Acarafe, which is also traditionally used for serving alcoholic beverages, is similar in design to a decanter but is not supplied with a stopper.
Throughout thehistory of wine, decanters have played a significant role in the serving of wine. The vessels would be filled with wine fromamphoras and brought to the table where they could be more easily handled by a single servant.
TheAncient Romans pioneered the use of glass as a material. After thefall of the Western Roman Empire, glass production became scarce, causing the majority of decanters to be made ofbronze,silver,gold, orearthenware. TheVenetians reintroduced glass decanters during theRenaissance period and pioneered the style of a long slender neck that opens to a wide body, increasing the exposed surface area of the wine, allowing it to react with air.
In the 1730s,British glass makers introduced thestopper to limit exposure to air. Since then, there has been little change to the basic design of the decanter.[2]
Liquid from another vessel is poured into the decanter in order to separate a small volume of liquid, containing thesediment, from a larger volume of "clear" liquid, which is free of such. In the process, the sediment is left in the original vessel, and the clear liquid is transferred to the decanter. This is analogous toracking, but performed just before serving.
Decanters have been used for serving wines that are laden with sediments in the original bottle. These sediments could be the result of a very old wine or one that was notfiltered orclarified during thewinemaking process. In most modern winemaking, the need to decant for this purpose has been significantly reduced, because many wines no longer produce a significant amount of sediment as they age.[2]
Baskets calleddecanting cradles, usually made of wicker or metal, are used to decant bottles that have been stored on their side without needing to turn them upright, thereby avoiding stirring up sediment. These are particularly useful in restaurants, for service of a wine ordered during a meal, but less important at home, where a bottle can be stood upright the day before.[3] More complicateddecanting machines also exist to facilitate smoothly pouring, without disturbing sediment.
Another reason for decanting wine is toaerate it, or allow it to "breathe". The decanter is meant to mimic the effects of swirling the wine glass to stimulate the oxidation processes which triggers the release of more aromatic compounds. It is thought to benefit the wine by smoothing some of the harsher aspects of the wine (liketannins or potentialwine faults likemercaptans).
Many wine writers, such asKaren MacNeil, in the bookThe Wine Bible, advocate decanting for aeration, especially with very tannic wines likeBarolo,Bordeaux,Cabernet Sauvignon,Port, andRhône wines while noting that decanting could be harmful for more delicate wines likeChianti andPinot noir.[4]
The effectiveness of decanting is a topic of debate, with some wine experts such asoenologistÉmile Peynaud, claiming that the prolonged exposure to oxygen diffuses and dissipates more aroma compounds than it stimulates, in contrast to the effects of the smaller scale exposure and immediate release that swirling the wine in a drinker's glass has.[2]
It has been reported that the process of decanting over a period of a few hours does not have the effect of softening tannins. The softening of tannins occurs during the winemaking andoak ageing when tannins go through a process ofpolymerization that can last days or weeks; decanting merely alters the perception ofsulfites and other chemical compounds in the wine through oxidation, which can give some drinkers the sense of softer tannins in the wine.[5]
In line with the view that decanting can dissipate aromas, the wine expert,Kerin O'Keefe, prefers to let the wine evolve slowly and naturally in the bottle, by uncorking it a few hours ahead, a practice suggested by wine producers such asBartolo Mascarello andFranco Biondi Santi.[6]
Other wine experts, such as writerJancis Robinson, tout theaesthetic value of using a decanter, especially one with an elegant design and made with clear glass, and believe that for all but the most fragile of wines that there is not much significant damage to the wine by decanting it.[7]
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