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Decanting.
All still wines throw a deposit if kept long in
bottle, and care should therefore be exercised in
decanting them. This deposit varies from the
heavy deposit or crust thrown by Vintage Ports to
the fine sediment thrown by Clarets and Burgundies,
which make the latter particularly difficult to decant
as the sediment being extremely fine is not easy
to detect, and having a bitter flavour will spoil
the delicacy of the wine if allowed to pass into
the decanter.
Ordinary Port from the wood, will throw a fine
sediment if kept too long in bottle before use, and
if not decanted will, though otherwise quite sound,
appear dull and cloudy when served. Sherry will
also throw a deposit if kept for any length of time
in bottle.
Vintage Ports will show all the better if decanted
about eight hours before dinner, and old bottled
Clarets improve greatly if decanted one or two
hours before dinner and the stopper removed from
the decanter to allow the wine to breathe.
Vintage Port should be decanted at the bin in
the cellar.'
Fine Claret to acquire the proper temperature
should be stood up in the dining room the morning
it is to be consumed and should be decanted as
above mentioned. This is far preferable to warming
the decanter.
All wines should be decanted keeping the bottle
in a nearly horizontal position with the same side
uppermost as in the bin, and it is best done in front
of a lighted candle.
Except by experts, vintage Port, fine Claret
and Burgundy should be decanted through very