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Decanting
There are a number of reasons to decant your wines, not the least of which is that it's fun and can add style to an event. It can also help to remove sediment in wines, particularly aged wines, and it helps the wine breathe. This allows its aromas to interact with the oxygen in the air and become more noticeable.
Choose a decanter that suits your style. Like wine glasses, decanters come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes, some plain and other wonderfully ornate. We find that decanting is particularly fun for family style events and opt for plain, unimposing decanters that remind us that we should keep our focus on the celebration rather than fanciness. For more formal occasions we opt to keep the bottle at the table!
Breathing
Breathing refers to allowing the wine to come in contact with the oxygen in the air. For some wines, this allows the full aromas and flavors to come to the surface. Keep in mind that too much oxygen can dull the flavors. Giving certain wines an hour or so before drinking them can do wonders to open-up their flavor and aroma.
There are a number of pervasive myths regarding breathing that we would like to set straight. The first is that all wine benefits from breathing, which is patently false. Some reds, particularly big Bordeaux, well-made Syrah/Shiraz and Italian Barolos benefit greatly from having some time to open-up. Barring these players, most wines can be drunk immediately, and white wines in particular will not benefit at all from having time to breathe.
The second major myth is that wine can breathe in the bottle. Simply popping the cork will do little to allow it to breathe, since so little of the wine is able to interact with the air. Allow your wines to breathe either in a decanter or your glass.
Handling Leftovers
There are three major methods to preserving leftover wine, the first is simply recorking it and putting it in the refrigerator. If possible, pouring the leftover into a half bottle and then putting in the fridge is ideal, as the fuller the bottle the less oxygenation can occur. Keep in mind that white wines can last a great deal longer (a week even) than red wines (simply recorking red and putting it in the fridge may give you two days - three at the most).
The second method is to vacuum pump the wine with a special pump. This sucks out the air in the bottle and seals it for later use. The wine should still be placed in the fridge, but can last for several days in this fashion.
The last method is a variation on the second, which involves filling up the unused portion of the wine bottle with a special gas that prevents oxygen from interacting with the wine. These canisters are easy to use and can be found at most specialty merchants.
About The Author
Tynan Szvetecz is an editor for http://www.savoreachglass.com, an international wine directory that is helping explore the spirit of wine for a new generation. Wine hobbyists, sommeliers, merchants and growers have all come together to contribute content to this directory in an effort to make it as informative and easy to use as possible.
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