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Most red wines need to be decanted, which is common knowledge for many people; but does white wine need to be decanted? It is estimated that this problem has troubled many people. So what is the answer?
1. Does white wine need to be decanted?
White wine seems to need to be iced more than decanting, so in the impression of most enthusiasts, white wine does not need to be decanted. However, one thing that must not be overlooked in order to get a better wine tasting experience is that white wine is not as cool as possible. Sometimes, white wine may be over-frozen, resulting in aroma occlusion, at which time the temperature can be rapidly increased with the help of a decanter; and the wine can be poured into the decanter and then iced can also accelerate the cooling process. In addition, some older white wines are not so low to drink, so sometimes decanting is considered first rather than iced.
2. Why do white wines need to be decanted?
(1) Help wine breathe better Due to the low tannin content, white wines mostly do not have the need to ventilate and breathe. However, the wine is closed before it is opened, which is bound to lead to a more closed flavor. By properly decanting the wine, the wine can breathe better, thus emitting the aroma it deserves, while developing more flavor substances and improving the taste. (2) Remove the sediment
White wines generally do not have sedimentation, and occasionally carry a small amount of crystalline substance, but it is not excluded, especially like the German and Sauternes sweet white, which belongs to the aging type, so the sediment also occurs from time to time. However, for clear and transparent white wines, very few people notice the sedimentary substances in them. Of course, if you only want to remove the sediment, you only need to change the bottle, and you don't necessarily pay attention to the length of the decanting time. (3) Remove odor Sometimes it is not excluded that some white wines have more or less unpleasant odors, which is not a quality problem, because this odor can be significantly weakened or even removed by decanting! For example, due to the fact that there is little air entering the bottle, volatile substances such as sulfur dioxide cannot be emitted, and these odors can be easily emitted after decanting. (4) Decanting can help enhance people's pleasure Decanting can not only enhance the taste but also delight the eyes, enhance the overall sense of enjoyment and pleasure, so the decanting of white wine is sometimes related to aesthetics.
It is worth mentioning that some white wines can be woken up directly through the bottle or shaken glass, and it is not necessary to use the decanter, otherwise excessive exposure to the air will also make the white wine lose its flavor. In general, white wines have a shorter decanting time than red wines. 3. Which white wines need to be decanted?
Some young or old Rhone Valley white wines and mature Alsace Riesling can also be properly decanted, and the famous wine master Hugh Johnson has sobered up the old Riesling. And, for some mature dessert wines, decanting can help better demonstrate complex layering. The Bordeaux region often decants its dry whites, and of course its dry reds, while the Burgundians barely decant local wines. In some restaurants in Paris, sommeliers often even perform similar operations on Champagne. From practical experience, decanting will make the bubbles disappear, but they believe that the bubbles are beautiful, but the aroma and flavor are the most real, especially for some long-aged champagnes.