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+--- Thread: To Breath or Not To Breath, that is the question (/thread-17287.html)
- BojoLay - 07-24-2002
Before enjoying a bottle of dark red wine like a Cabarnet or Melot should one pop the cork and "let it breath" a spell (20min) before consuming? Or is that just old none sense?
A couple of Sundays ago I drank a bottle of Windsor vinyards Cabarnet Sav. (a gift with both mine and my wife's name on the bottle) while having drinner. The first glass was sort of harsh or acidy. The remainder of the bottle went down very smooth and quite flavorful. Is that because it had time to breath? Or did the first glass numb my taste buds?
- winoweenie - 07-24-2002
I vote for the second door Monty>>>>>WW
- Innkeeper - 07-24-2002
We decant almost all our red wines. It gives them all a little more time to show their best. You must have a wide mouth decanter; we use an "old" Ocean Spray Cranberry Juice bottle. They use plastic these days, so you need to pay a little more. The decanting adds oxygen which is good for the moment, but not for long. Drink up. A closed mouth decanter does no more good than a bottle, except for the decanting. If it is not an old bottle, and you can't detect any sediment in the bottle; use the glug, glug method of decanting. A wine that "needs more time" can be decanted at an hour per year needed in a pinch, but won't be quite as good.
[This message has been edited by Innkeeper (edited 07-24-2002).]
- BojoLay - 07-25-2002
Okay WW, you say no breathing necessary, Should be good straight away...right?
and
IK. you say pour the wine into a glass decanter with a big mouth like the Paul Mason wines before drinking, correct? But what is glug glug method?
Remember guys (& gals) I am in the novice section for a reason and I am counting on your vast knowledge for my guidance. Thanks
- Innkeeper - 07-25-2002
Glug, glug is what you do, as I said, when there is no sediment in the bottle. When there is, you have to pour very carefully with a light behind the bottle; not letting any or much of sediment getting into the decanter. Otherwise just let it glug, glug into the dedanter.
- joeyz6 - 07-25-2002
How does one keep the sediment keep from entering the decanter? Just pour slowly?
Also, is a decanter just a bottle or does it have some type of strainer attached?
And does one do this for white wine as well?
- Innkeeper - 07-26-2002
The decanter is a vessel without strainer attached. Again, it should have a wide mouth, the widder the better. Most, but not all, red wines containing sediment come in high shouldered bottles. These are designed to collect sediment as you pour slowley with light behind. Unless you are a pro at this, some sediment will slip into the container. If no one is looking, I usually pour the last quarter or third of the bottle through a dioxon free coffee filter. I don't know of any white wine that needs decanting for sediment. Some that need more opening up such as a young Sancerre would benifit from the aeration
- winoweenie - 07-26-2002
BJ to clear up any confusion....the 2nd option you advanced is my choice. ALL young wines derive some benefit from breathing. The amount is arguable. WW