How Do You Use A Wine Decanter?
Like wine itself, the use of a decanter has aged over time. Before modern wine-making techniques came about, a typical bottle of wine had a fair amount of sediment lurking at the bottom. If you’ve heard the phrase “drink life to the lees” (Lord Alfred Tennyson), you will understand that this is a metaphor for living life to the fullest, as most of a bottle of wine must be finished before reaching the lees, or sediment. Poetry aside, knowing how to use a wine decanter is just as important as knowing when to use a wine decanter. Typically it depends on varietal and age. Respect the elders. An aged red (older than 10 years) will normally have some sediment built up. A decanter is a great way to separate the wine from the sediment. An older red is also more fragile than a younger red and will start to lose its shape more quickly after opened, so be gentle. Tilt your decanter to the side and slowly pour in the wine so that it falls onto the mouth of the decanter. As the bottle starts to emp
