Ok, so you didn't register for that lead crystal decanter when you were making out your wish list, but some well-meaning friend or relative saddled you with it all the same. It sits on the bar or under a counter gathering dust, dreaming of a yard sale or yearning for eBay deliverance. Every now and again you notice it, and wonder....what on earth am I ever going to use this thing for?

Chef James of Uffa! brought up the subject of decanting in the course of commenting on my previous entry, I would like to address this often misunderstood concept, and express my personal feelings on the subject.

Chef James wrote:"J.C brought up all good points but missed one useful fact. I you are trying a wine for the first time, whether you know the grape or not, remember that first taste at the table is to judge how the wines has been stored. It may take a couple of minutes or more before it “opens up”. This means oxygen is getting back into the wine and the flavors will come out more. Decanting the wine will help. Pouring the wine into a specialty made container to add oxygen. Most think of doing this with only old expensive wines but it can add to any big wine. I have had many bottles that have taken a 1/2 glass before really liking it. Also, ask the server before you order. Tell them what you like and they should be able to help."

Chef James correctly points out that it can take some time for a wine to open up and develop its full potential over the course of a couple of hours or even longer. However, while the conventional wisdom certainly sides with Chef James, I do not believe that decanting will always "add to any big wine."

I should point out that I am not a fan of decanting wine unless it is absolutely necessary. I advocate decanting only when there is significant sediment present in the bottle. Decanting simply to aerate a wine can be a mistake, since the rate of oxidation varies from wine to wine, and is dependant upon a host of variables. The main factor is the size of the aperture; most decanters have apertures 2-4 times the size of any wine wine bottle, so it can be safely assumed that decanted wine will oxidize at faster rate than wine which remains in the bottle until poured.
My feeling is that by aerating the entire bottle at once, you not only bypass the subtle changes that take place as a wine unfolds, but one might also run the risk of missing the wine's peak. This is especially true for older wines, which are much more delicate and have greater volatility in the glass. As I've said before, one of the aspects that make wine appreciation so interesting are the different ways that people approach it. I recommend experimenting with decanting if you have never experienced it.