As discussed before, one of the main reasons for decanting a wine is to bring out its aromas by introducing more oxygen into the liquid.
Some people remain unconvinced of its effects on wine, however. Thankfully, there is a simple way to demonstrate this – a decanter tasting.
Variables
I would suggest using a fuller-bodied red wine like a Shiraz or Cabernet Sauvignon for this experiment, as these varietals are easy to find and usually quite aromatically dense and complex. While some people insist on decanting white wines, the effect may be too subtle to perceive for the wine novice.
Simply pour half of the contents into a decanter and leave the rest remaining in the bottle.
Alternatively, you could divide the wine between multiple decanters, split across 30-60 minutes. If you do not have multiple decanters on hand, wine glasses would make a good substitute considering the smaller volumes being handled.
Conclusion
There really isn’t much to it. Decanting is a simple and effective way to make a wine more expressive and easier to understand and appreciate. After experimenting you should be able to see for yourself the effect that oxygen and heightened surface area of a decanter will have on a wine.
Read more: The Essentials
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