Decanting wine, what does it do? -Episode #18

March 22, 2006

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2004 Amon Ra Shiraz

Watch as Gary Vaynerchuk demonstrates the value of decanting wines. Also we explore the wonderful wines of the Barrosa Valley (Australia’s “Napa valley”) with Amon Ra. Crafted by Ben Glatzer, Amon Ra stands among the greatest wines in the world.

115 Responses

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  1. October 23, 2007

    Lyn

    I can’t begin to think of all the wine I’ve drank without letting it breath. What was I thinking?Never again!

  2. September 11, 2007

    Gene

    Great episode! I just received a nice Barolo for my birthday – I’ll be sure to put this knowledge to work this weekend.

  3. August 30, 2007

    WA Ambassador

    This has always been a question that has been on my mind. Thank you for doing this episode. I now have a decanter and have tried wine after letting it sit in it for many hours. It makes such a big difference!

  4. August 27, 2007

    Nikki

    I noticed everyone was tlaking about red wines, but i’m not a big fan of red wines, they are too bitter and dry, but i was wondering would it be good to decant and white wine?

  5. August 10, 2007

    Ian Gibson

    Great episode Gary. Can’t wait to try this myself.

  6. July 11, 2007

    Alyssa

    Gary,

    I just came across this website……..it’s amazing!!! I really enjoyed your episode on decanting. I have been recently debating if I should get one or not……now I will….Friday night is wine night so we will put it to our own test…….can’t wait..thanks so much!!!!!

    Alyssa

  7. July 5, 2007

    Christopher Neil Brown

    A strong missionary approach to wine consumption (!) however I feel it is probably needed for many US wine consumers who simply do not appreciate the enormous benefits of wine breathing. Gary is bang on the money here.

    There is so much more to say on the subject and I was surprised that aerators were not mentioned by Gary, also the art of “double decanting”. In my expereince, a double decant equates to nearly an hour of breathing as does the use of a decent pouring aerator. These are quite common in Europe.

    A final note – US restaurants are typically shockingly inexperienced in the area of wine preparation. A recent visit to the (highly rated) Italian restaurant Nicolino’s in Sunnyvale CA revealed that they have (a) no decanters, (b) no large red wine goblets and most amusingly our dear waitress had been “trying to convince management to buy a decanter”. This, despite a reasonably elaborate selection of well rated red wines.

    Gary – continue the education !!

  8. June 26, 2007

    Roman

    Sorry, I disagree completely. Based on my experience, 30 minutes for 95% wines I have tasted is enough and the wine does not develop further in decanter. Just compare 8 hours versus 30 minutes decanting time – then give me a call. (I love your passion for wine!)

  9. June 15, 2007

    oenophilosopher

    Stop washing your glasses with soap!

  10. June 3, 2007

    ktw

    decanting wine has changed my life

  11. June 1, 2007

    David Canada

    Never tried an Amon RA but I love the G.A.M and have a mini vertical. I have also tried the Glaetzer Bishop which knocked my socks and pants off!!!

  12. May 26, 2007

    Nico

    this episode continues to be one of my favorites! I just re-watched with my wife!

    -Nico

  13. May 24, 2007

    vibemore

    What about the little “air-a-tor” things that are sold that seek to introduce air into the wine at a faster rate? Do these things work? I hope so because I just bought one by the name of Air Au Vin. Is this a good alternative for “fast” decanting or is time an essential element here? thanks.

  14. May 23, 2007

    Russ J

    Gary:
    Sent a link for this one to my Pop who just got a decanter. Interesting comment just above mine. Hmmm. Like these “classic” shows!

  15. May 23, 2007

    jaime smith

    TO DECANT OR NOT?

    People are always looking to “open” their wine quicker with dinner; the practice of decanting is related to this breathing concept. The idea that forced air will somehow make an average wine into something much more seems to be part of the public conscience. With rustic and coarse wines, that may help, but along with taking away that bitter edge you will more than likely loose the primary fruit aromatics and flavor; which will make it easier wine to drink.
    The decanting contingent suggests that exposure to air will somehow speed up the maturation. While this is not the same as true ageing, the illusion placates the general public. What they are trying to get to is reductive ageing (without air in the bottle) by the process of oxidative ageing (air contact). Most people, who want this, decant the wine to expose it to air. Some people even choose to use multiple vessels and transfer the liquid back and forth several times to force air into it; not even realizing that they are shocking the wine and volatilizing it’s most undesirable elements.
    Some evaporation can take place with this method but any real benefit by chemical processes never really takes place. This violent splashing does help for one part of the wine, it can disperse the sulfur in all its forms (SO2, H2S) and even carbon dioxide can get shook out. Wine does not oxidize that quickly, even in the most full and beefy reds; ironically these wines are generally given this treatment.
    Controlled studies have been applied to test a diverse cross section of wines, varying in body, age and variety. Freshly opened wines were pitted against wines that have had different exposure times with air, what were their conclusions?

    Identical Wines Tasted *
    Aerated/Decanted
    • Changes were noted.
    • Intensity of aromas lost; some bouquet missing.
    • Soft to dulled tactile sensations (not as vibrant depending on exposure to air time)
    • In a very few wines, loss of nose was compensated for by a softer mouth-feel.
    • Was generally disliked by the tasters.

    Freshly Opened
    • Wines retained fruit and bouquet.
    • No change in body or structure.
    • You have to live with any “issues” (oxidative, sulfur, fermentation aromas) when the bottle is freshly opened.
    • Strongly preferred over any of the aerated wines.

    The real reason to decant anything has remained a constant for centuries, to remove the sediment!

    * All hail E. Peynaud!

  16. May 16, 2007

    yowens44

    Pretty stiking the contrast between the two- makes a decanting arguement. Gary a question and a thought:
    1. Do you believe that the vacuum wine stoppers do anything more to preserve wine than just popping the cork back in bottle?
    2. I’m a cellartracker guy but love the idea of cork’d. Is there anyway to link the two systems so that a saved cellar on cellartracker could also upload onto cork’d?

  17. May 12, 2007

    Don Pasquale Ostuni

    Wine as produced by fly by nite wineries will have no response to decantering.
    The wine must be cuddled and not shook in the bottle. Decanting wine from bottles only works in volume. To much air will make the yeast in the wine ferment and create a calsio deposit in the grape and forest a over-aged wine.

  18. May 9, 2007

    Sam

    I’ve been watching the episodes from episode one and moving my way up… by far the BEST episode yet.

  19. April 19, 2007

    A Clap

    Gary,

    Good Job. Have you ever used the Centellino to decant your wine? I found this product online and actually enjoy it alot. its at http://www.rothschildluxury.com

    What do you think?

  20. April 14, 2007

    Serge Laporte

    Gary,

    I love your simplicity and your commitment to wine, of course, one has to decant wines in order to get the most out of them, and you explain it totally. Believe it or not, i was chatting with a friend the other day who had taken wine courses and shw was told by her instructor that decanting has no value and is just a fad. Talk about ignorance at work, she was paying for those courses.. jeez..

    Anyway, bravo for your fine work and if you ever come down to Montreal, write me and we shall go and drink a few bottles with some of my buddies and you.

    Serge

  21. April 13, 2007

    Songster

    I just discovered this website and wow I am impressed. This is better than reading books about wine. Thank you!

  22. April 3, 2007

    Justin S

    I don’t know if there is any truth to this. comment on cellartracker.com

    “The Amon-Ra 05 is close to a 100 point wine. Interestingly enough, there is a story afloat that RP got confused between the Godolphin and the Amon-Ra when he issued his ratings on the 04 wines. Had he got it straight the 04 would have been a three digit wine. The Amon-Ra 05 is very close to that 100 point rating. So very bright because it’s too young, but too good to leave alone to mature.”

  23. March 5, 2007

    MARYANN

    I AM NEW TO THE PROGRAM: NICE. DO YOU DECANT WHITE WINES? HOW SAFE IS IT TO DECANT IN DECORATIVE CRYSTAL DECANTERS? THANKS IN ADVANCE. MARYANN

  24. February 18, 2007

    CookingJournal » Wine Library and Other NJ Wine Shops | A science fiction and fantasy blog

    [...] My favorite episode so far was the one on decanting wines. I had always heard about letting reds breathe but had no idea how long or how much of an effect it had on the wines. [...]

  25. January 12, 2007

    OH! NO! PHILE!

    BIRTH OF A VAYNIAC!!!!!! Great Stuff Gary-on the money about enjoying the wine. I’m glad to know that there are others who are as passionate about wine and get their sensory imaginations kicked into gear when drinking wine. I’ve worked in high end restaraunts in Manhattan off and on for over 15 years-have tasted/described/intoduced/helped choose a loooot of wine with a lot of customers and know the passion and joy you bring to it is what it is all about. Thank You!!!!!! And it’s a vindication for me for my years of funky analogies, metaphors and descriptions about wines ( I talked one couple into doing a tasting of the Domaine Drouhin Oregon with the Domaine Drouhin Burgundy and they laughed at my description of on being like carpet bombing and the other like a laser guided I.C.B.M., but onced they tried then they totally understood ). And I’ve been talking people in to decanting everything for years- alot of pessimists and then a lot of converts. It’s fun when the converts come back and can tell me on their second wine BTG that they know it must be from a new bottle and the first must have been opened late last night.
    Whip some age on those Babies with some Air!!!! Get those Aunt Esthers Dancin’!!!! I’m Comin’ Elizbeth!!! ONP

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