ASI Tutorial: Decanting
- Alisa Dobronravova
Decanting
The purpose of this task is to ensure that the wine served does not contain sediment.
In a competition setting all sommeliers should be prepared for different scenarios to test their skills.
Scenario 1. Bottle lying in a basket
If the bottle is lying in a wine basket then a small amount of wine can be poured in a tasting glass and be checked by the sommelier by the nose. The sommelier is conditioning the decanter with a small pour of wine. Be careful so that not too much wine is used for conditioning the decanter, 20-30 ml should be sufficient.
When removing the bottle from the basket make sure it happens in a very gentle manner and so the bottle isn't in a too steep angle when removed. Make sure that the light is aligned with the bottle shoulder so that the sediment is discovered before it reaches the neck. The decanting should be done in an even flow and a gentle manner.
Scenario 1. Bottle standing up / Vertical bottle
Avoid the conditioning of the decanter if the bottle is standing. Make sure that the light is aligned with the bottle shoulder so that the sediment is discovered before it reaches the neck. The decanting should be done in an even flow and a gentle manner. The decanter should be held in an angle in order to minimize the noise. In a case of a upright bottle ask to taste wine from the decanter when the decanting is completed.