HOW DOES DECANTING IMPROVE THE TASTE OF RED WINE?
In response, we quote Andrew L. Waterhouse, a professor in the department of viticulture and enology at the University of California at Davis, and published in the ASK THE EXPERTS Section of the November 2004 issue of SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN: Decanting simply pouring wine into another container can mellow the flavor of harsh younger red wines by exposing them to oxygen; it also serves to remove sediments in older vintages, which are harmless but make the wine look cloudy and taste gritty Some younger red wines between three and 10 years old can be astringent if consumed directly after opening the bottle because they are maintained in an environment relatively free of oxygen during agingA wines aroma changes during the first 10 to 30 minutes after opening. Decanting accelerates this so-called breathing process, which increases the wines aroma from natural fruit and oak, by allowing a few volatile substances to evaporate. Decanting also appears to soften the taste of the tannins that cause h
