The hows and whys of decanting wine at home or in a restaurant.

You may have heard of a procedure called "decanting," but are unsure of what it means and why you would do it. Decanting is transferring the wine from a bottle to an empty glass pitcher, known as a decanter.

There are two primary purposes for this process. The first applies to older red wines that have developed sediment. The sediment is sandlike particles that are the natural residue that evolves over time. Sediment can also be found in wines that have not been filtered. It's harmless, but not pleasant. It make the wine cloudy, spoiling the color and visual appeal.

The second reason to decant wine is to aerate the wine. This helps soften the wine's texture and tannins and makes a hearty wine more friendly to the palate. This about the size of the bottle opening. Unless you allow the wine to breathe for a long period of time (30 minutes at least) it's not possible for enough air to enter the bottle to make a difference in the taste and texture.

How do you decant wine? Slowly transfer the wine from the bottle into the decanter. When decanting is done to remove sediment gently stop the flow of wine once the sediment is spotted in the neck of the bottle. You can allow the sediment to settle at the bottom of the bottle and then repeat the process. Some like to use a candle, placed between the bottle and the decanter, to help spot the sediment. You may also employ a fine screened funnel to make the decanting job easier.

Bella Wine Recommends the WMF Bouquet Glass Wine Decanter
The WMF decanter allows red wine to breathe for improved flavor. It is attractive clear glass with a decorative swirl on the neck. It has a broad, flat base with narrow neck and holds one bottle of wine.