Oxygenating decanters for young wines

Oxygenating decanters for young wines

An oxygenating decanter or a decanter, which one should I use for my young wine? Oxygenating a young wine should never be confused with decanting a wine with a deposit. The confusion comes from the English word: "a decanter" is translated into French as "a carafe", which is why the mistake is made!

A young wine is oxygenated because it needs a supply of oxygen through aeration, and a mature wine, which has accumulated natural deposits over time, is decanted. In short, a wine is said to be young if it is less than 3 to 5 years old for a white wine and 5 to 7 years old for a red wine. A range of ages is given, because of course, from one wine to another, and depending on the region and the year, the wine does not develop in the same way. A young wine needs to be oxygenated, as this will improve it and give it a boost. In effect, when it is bottled, regardless of whether it is red or white, the wine has not finished maturing. The very slight permeability of the cork or screw cap provides it with the oxygen that the wine’s components need over time to transform their primary fruit aromas into final aromas that are so much better! Without a long shelf life, a young wine can only reach its full potential with the help of an oxygenating decanter.

To put the wine molecules in contact with oxygen, your oxygenating carafe, once the wine has been completely decanted, must have a maximum surface area of contact between the air and the wine. It must also have a long neck that will enable the liquid to run over the entire surface of the neck during transfer. If your decanter has a pronounced interior angle, the turbulence generated will be highly effective. Moreover, if there is a grip dome at the bottom of the decanter, i.e., a bulge to accommodate your thumb, oxygenation will be very effective.

At home, how do you ensure that your wines are at their best? A few hours before eating, bring your bottles of red wine to room temperature by taking them out of the cellar, and put your dry and fruity white wines in the refrigerator. Then before the aperitif, open the number of bottles you think you will drink. Taste your wine. If you feel it offers its full potential, cork it and do not touch it again before the meal. If it seems a little young, pour it into an oxygenating carafe and shake it slightly. The aperitif period will allow it to open up! However, if it seems very closed, then go ahead and mix it vigorously. As you will see, it's like magic! You can also do this again at the last minute if you have not opened enough bottles!

Now it's up to you to choose the decanter that will give you perfect tasting experiences.