Top 10 Things You Shouldn’t Do With A Wine Decanter
How do you like your wine? Chances are, if you’re reading this article, you probably like it in the form of red wine decanter. What you may not know, however, is that there are many things you should never do with your wine decanter.
The following list includes the top 10 things you should never do with your wine decanter. If you have any questions about what’s on this list or have additional ideas of things that should be added to it, be sure to contact us – lechateauwinedecanter.com.
1) Don’t Use it to Pit Cherries
Pitting cherries is one of those tasks that you shouldn’t do with your wine decanter. For one, it can scratch up and break delicate stems, and second, it’s likely to give your wine an odd flavor. Next time you need to pit some cherries or olives, try using a pair of tweezers or toothpicks instead.
2) Don’t Use it as a Beverage Server
No matter how beautiful your wine decanter is, it’s an instrument used for wine aeration, not serving. So don’t even think about using it as a way to quickly and effectively serve six glasses of Pinot Grigio to your party guests. The steeper and longer your wine sits in its decanter, or any other container for that matter, the more likely you are to encounter chemical off-flavors called ethyl acetate. Don’t believe us?
3) Don’t Clean it with Vinegar
Some people like to clean wine decanters with vinegar, but as soon as you place any kind of alcoholic beverage in there, it’s likely that it will pick up some flavor from your cleanser. If you use vinegar to clean your decanter, make sure you rinse it thoroughly or do not put wine in it until well after rinsing.
4) Don’t Leave it Outside (Or Anywhere Unprotected)
Wine is sensitive to UV light, so keep your decanter in a shaded area or bring it inside when you’re not using it. For longer term storage of your wine, keep it in an environmentally controlled space like your wine cellar.
5) Don’t Store Wine in It Longer than Needed
While wine decanters are great for serving, they’re terrible at storing wine. The sudden change in temperature between room temperature and cold temperatures dulls the taste of your favorite red or white and encourages oxidation. If you must store wine in a decanter, be sure to use it within an hour after removing it from storage. This will help preserve its quality as much as possible.
6) Don’t Use it as an Ice Bucket
We’ve seen people do it, and it’s tempting, but don’t put ice in your wine decanter. While there is logic behind doing so—namely, to cool down your wine—in actuality it will work against you. Water and wine don’t mix well together because they have different densities. As soon as that water hits your precious wines, they will sink to the bottom of your container and cause bacteria to grow at an accelerated rate.
7) Don’t Microwave It
Don’t think that just because it is made of glass, you can put your wine decanter in the microwave. Microwaves cause uneven heating and will crack your precious decanter. If you want to warm up your wine, use hot water from your sink instead.
8) Don’t Try to Filter Wine Through it
The purpose of a wine decanter is to aerate and open up new aromas in your wine. No one wants to drink overly oxidized wine, but trying to filter it through a decanter will have the opposite effect. Stop yourself before you try it!
9) Don’t Take the Cork Out Before Serving Wine
While decanting isn’t absolutely necessary if you’re short on time or prefer to avoid wasting it, there are several good reasons to pour your wine into decanters first. First and foremost, pulling out that cork will allow air to enter your bottle and oxidize its contents—which is not what you want when trying to enjoy a glass of vino. If you don’t have much time before serving, at least let your wine sit in an open bottle for 15 minutes so that it can breathe before pouring into glasses.
10) Don’t Forget About the Decanting Process
If you’re using decanters, remember that decanting is just as important as choosing a good bottle. Don’t skip it! At Le Chateau wine decanters, we believe that properly decanting your wine can improve its smell and taste, not to mention its bouquet.
