Wine Experience
How to decant wine without a decanter
What you are about to read may seem absurd especially if you are a sommelier or other type of wine expert. However, if you are looking to better understand wine and learn how to drink it to its fullest potential then you may need to know how to decant wine without a decanter.
Back in the day a decanter was almost necessary to decant wine so that sediments were not served in one’s glass when poured directly from a barrel or bottle. Today, you can find sediments in a bottle of wine if you are drinking an older wine, give or take 10 years.
Another reason to decant a wine is to aerate and soften the tannins of the wine, which helps bring out the aromas. Since the desired aromas you are aiming for typically develop over the years, younger wines are perfect for aeration like a fresh Chianti or Morellino di Scansano. Pinot Noir may not be the best for decanting since it is the most sensitive wine and too much aeration can counter the desired effect.
To properly aerate the wine, it needs to touch as much surface area as possible, hence the typically odd shaped decanter, which is low and wide. Decanters may receive some eye rolls from friends, so to avoid that and to speed up the aeration process you won’t need a decanter at all.
To really punch up your wine with oxygen and quickly reach optimum flavors and aromas you will need one basic household item, a blender. Pour your wine into a blender and blend that young Chianti for about 20-30 seconds. You can also use a hand held blender and a measuring cup to pour the wine into.
Congratulations, now you know how to decant wine without a decanter. You can drink and serve your wine at its most potential. This will also help you avoid using a decanter that appears odd and strangely space shaped (but if you're intereste in wine accessories, read here). Cheers!
