An excerpt from a long discussion that caught my eye:
"As I mentioned in the introduction, I am a very strong advocate of decanting virtually
every example of pinot noir or red Burgundy that I drink and believe that there are few red wine
grape varieties that benefit more from proper aeration than pinot noir. … Whenever I read “popped and poured” for pinot noirs, whether young or old, as part of an amateur’s tasting note, I simply cringe.
I totally agree - do you?
when I pop and pour, it’s into a decanter. To me it just means an anti-Audouze.
I agree 100% and I also strongly agree that Burgundy should be decanted into a receptacle that is appropriately shaped for the variety
When I open a bottle, I virtually always take a small pour and write an initial note, even if I’m planning on decanting. I usually update the note after air as well…
I decant virtually every red wine and many whites. I find the biggest improvement from decanting on the aromatics, but certainly there is a benefit on the palate as well.
^^^^
Nope. Don’t agree. The glass is very often my chosen vessel for watching development, as I can swirl, sniff and sip most easily. I am not very interested in catching every drop of the wine at its most open. The story of the wine, how it develops, is much more interesting and exciting to me. I respect John very much, but on the subject of decanting, this amateur is not particularly intimidated by his judgment.
Intimidation has nothing to do with my agreement with him.
I take a more cautious approach, trying a little pour first: if it’s fantastic, why take a chance on decanting making it “even better”?
Yup. I think it’s a waste not to decant Northern Rhones and nebbiolo, too. Most red wines, actually, unless they’re quite old and delicate, and a lot of whites.
This might work with younger wines, but if you have an older bottle that you’ve stood up in order to let the sediment settle down then you’ve lost that as soon as you tip the bottle to make that first pour.
Speaking of decanting, this is one of the things that drives me batty about a lot of wine lovers. They’ll age a bottle for 25 years to where they think it’s ready to drink, then they will pull it from their cellar, throw it in the car, and drive it to a dinner or tasting and then decant it without giving it time to stand up and without any thought for the texture of the wine. Yeah, it still might taste good, but one of the reasons we age wine is to smooth out the texture and create suppleness. You totally lose this if you travel with an older wine without decanting it first. Most wines that have been cellared need some air, so stand it up for a week, and decant it properly.
Decant just about everything even though I might forget to mention it when writing a tasting note
Tom
I’d love to hijack this thread just a tiny bit and ask about old Sangiovese. anyone have a special procedure for 20+ year old Brunello or chianti?
Old nebbiolo and wines I know from experience need air are exceptions. But then, I don’t find red wine improved overall on Day 2, with few exceptions.
You have a lot of experience, I have no criticism whatsoever. But I think a lot of people decant wine because it makes them feel like serious wine people. And it imbues the wine with significance. Many blind tastings show people prefer wine pop and pour. So who can say? There are plenty of wines I feel improve with a little air. There are wines that most definitely shut down or fail. I choose my default on the cautious side. You can always give more air, but you can never take it back.
I do taste first, and if fine, then no decant; but I almost always find myself decanting older reds and usually whites.
Totally agree with this. I try not to open good wines unless I have at least a solid hour or two to sit with them and experience their development in the glass
I do not decant unless the wine seems like it needs it.
Frankly, I don’t want more crap to wash.
I rarely decant wine except for sediment and even then I just usually stand it up before serving so as to keep the sediment in the bottom of the bottle.
As to another point above, I can count the number of red table wines I have had that improved the second day it was open on one hand. And have 5 fingers left.
Yes. Although for young ones I may try to see how it opens straight from bottle and possibly decant later since there is no sediment issue.