How long does it take to decant red wine – cabernet sauvignon in particular?
If a wine is a varietal (a named single – or dominant – grape: – such as Cabernet Sauvignon) it is likely to be New World style, and major on vivacity and drinkability. Such wines are usually drunk young(ish) and either do not need decanting at all, or else will be at their full range inside half an hour or less. (With varietal wines it is much more important to serve them in a suitable glass – burgundy glasses for a Cabernet sauvignon – than to fret over the niceties of decanting). Decanting really only applies to terroir wines – which have names (Crozes-Hermitages, Beaune, Barolo) rather than grape-types on their label. If a wine has Cabernet Sauvignon on the label it is a fun-to-drink wine, not a lifetime-of-study wine: just enjoy it.
