Decanting a Cab

[Geronimo]

I'm not sure how many people let their wines breathe, but I find that with Cabernet Sauvignon that a decanter and 3-5 hours of air time is essential. I find they go from bitter and medicinal to spicy, zesty and interesting.

 

[JohnT]

The way you should think about decanting is that this step makes up for a lack of ageing ma maturity. Decanting, among many other things, introduces O2 into the wine and that helps to soften the tannins in the wine that otherwise would have been softened with age.

A good rule of thumb is that the older a wine is, the less it needs to breathe. (of course this is just a rule of thumb).

 

[RCGoodin]

I'm not sure how many people let their wines breathe, but I find that with Cabernet Sauvignon that a decanter and 3-5 hours of air time is essential. I find they go from bitter and medicinal to spicy, zesty and interesting.

Yeah, and if you drink a bottle every hour while your waiting, it even gets more interesting.

I just decanted a 2007 Reserve Rioja, for 15 minutes, and it was great.

I'll be toasting all of you Jan 1st with my first batch, Stag's Leap Merlot, from Jan 2012. I never thought it would make it that long.

 

[GreginND]

Going to enjoy a 2005 Ferrari Carano cab this evening. Will be decanting it.

 

[salcoco]

we discussed this concept in our wine club. we developed an experiment tasting using the aeroraters that are on the market. regardless of wine age there was a difference to the better in a side by side tasting. we have modified our wine completion so that all red wines are aerorated before judging.

 

[olusteebus]

we discussed this concept in our wine club. we developed an experiment tasting using the aeroraters that are on the market. regardless of wine age there was a difference to the better in a side by side tasting. we have modified our wine completion so that all red wines are aerorated before judging.

Absolutely. I got an aeroreater from bed bath and beyond and when I remember to use it, it changes the wine considerably.

I wonder if decanting in a decanter for a while makes it even better?

 

[Turock]

Oh, I totally agree with aeration. Last summer we bought one and started using it on our big reds. A definite difference!!

 

[Geronimo]

Absolutely. I got an aeroreater from bed bath and beyond and when I remember to use it, it changes the wine considerably.

I wonder if decanting in a decanter for a while makes it even better?

Aerating into a glass makes a little difference, decanting (pouring into a decanter and intentionally splashing to aerate) and allowing to rest for 2-5 hours makes a bigger difference IMO.

I did a Rosso Grande Eccellente kit recently. Typical process for me is about 6 months old at bottling, and it's been in the bottles 2-3 months, so its too young for sure. I wanted to see if I liked it, so I decanted and allowed to sit for several hours. The difference was very dramatic.

The reason I started this thread was due to my experience with Cabs. Many people were taking one taste of my Cabs or blends with Cab and doing the "Mr Yuck" face. I was one of them. Then I tried decanting and it changed everything. The RGE tastes like a $50 bottle of 5+ year old top shelf wine after decanting.

 

[roger80465]

I like the sound of that! Will add to my 'must try' list!

 

[digitaleye]

Aerating into a glass makes a little difference, decanting (pouring into a decanter and intentionally splashing to aerate) and allowing to rest for 2-5 hours makes a bigger difference IMO.

I would respectfully disagree with the first part of the above statement While decanting can certainly offer a controllable level of aeration/enhancement (and many wines do require more than simple aeration) I've found that just about any (red) wine benefits from aeration into the glass.

 

[Geronimo]

I would respectfully disagree with the first part of the above statement While decanting can certainly offer a controllable level of aeration/enhancement (and many wines do require more than simple aeration) I've found that just about any (red) wine benefits from aeration into the glass.

Not sure why would claim to disagree, and then agree

 

[digitaleye]

Not sure why would claim to disagree, and then agree

Too Funny Well.. The problem clearly stems form my failure to read your post correctly; whereas you said "makes a little difference" I read "makes little difference" sans the "a" (the old hidden a trick .

 

[Geronimo]

Too Funny Well.. The problem clearly stems form my failure to read your post correctly; whereas you said "makes a little difference" I read "makes little difference" sans the "a" (the old hidden a trick .

"Did you catch that 99? The old hidden ~a~ trick! I have to call this in to the Chief on my shoe phone..."

As I get older, I find it's nearly impossible to read what's written. We live in such an accelerated existence that we just don't have time to read.

 

[Putterrr]

The first grape skin kit I made was Rosso Grande Eccellente. As a result, i make only skin kits. Enough said.

I also use the aerator and everyone I have introduced it to has gone out and purchased their own.

Cheers

 

[akrew]

I think it largely depends on the maturity of the wine... Also depends on the design of the aerator and decanter! This post shows how different decanters work to aerate the wine more quickly than others, however I generally believe a wine which has been decanted for longer tends to have a fuller bouquet.

 

[peaches9324]

have a couple huge cab glasses made to aerate the wine with a ribbed inside and by turning them counter clockwise they aerate the wine think they are ingenious cuz its something I do anyway with a glass of wine in front of me when sitting at the table waiting for dinner