Decanting Red Wine:
When it's worth it.

Why air helps the wine

When wine meets oxygen, two things happen: volatile, sometimes slightly musty notes blow off, and the aromas unfold. With young, tannic reds, oxygen also softens the tannins, so the wine feels rounder and more approachable. This is what people call letting it breathe.

When to decant, and when not to

• Young, powerful red (e.g. Barolo, Bordeaux, Syrah): 30 to 60 minutes in the decanter is fine. The air does it good.
• Old red (15 years and older): separate it from the sediment carefully, but only briefly. Too much air can tire delicate old wines quickly.
• Light everyday wine: usually needs no decanter. Open the bottle, let it stand a few minutes, enjoy.
• White and sparkling wine: as a rule, don't decant.

How it works in practice

Stand the bottle upright a few hours ahead so the sediment settles at the bottom. Then pour the wine slowly and steadily into the decanter. With old wines, hold a light source behind the neck so you can see when the sediment is coming and stop in time. A decanter is nice but not a must: in a pinch, a carafe will do.

Not sure about a particular bottle?

Whether your wine needs air depends on vintage, grape, and structure. Scan the bottle with VinoSomm or ask the sommelier chat. It'll tell you whether decanting is worth it and for how long.