How and When to Decant Wine: Useful Tips

Wine is certainly one of the oldest known drinks; just think that the oldest wine jar ever found dates back to about 7000 years ago (about 5100 BC). For years Italy has been a world leader in the production, quality of wine produced and exported to the world. Our wines Made in Italy they are recognized by all the countries of the world as the best and most valuable.

At this point, a question arises: How and when to decant the wine?

To date, many think that making their own homemade wine is a long and difficult procedure, but in reality it is quite the opposite! Obviously, however, it is necessary to arm yourself with commitment, good will and perseverance. Then nothing will be more beautiful than being able to offer your guests, during a lunch or dinner, a good bottle of wine produced personally!

Production cycle: the steps

1) The Harvest it is the first step of the production cycle. In ancient times it was made by hand, while now it is made through the use of ad hoc machinery.

2) The Crushing is the second step, and also in ancient times, it was made manually, while now, as well as the harvest, it is carried out through the use of machinery. Machines are available for purchase on the market that allow you to perform this procedure quickly and accurately, with the least possible waste.

3) The Fermentation it varies from 1 to 7 days, but the days required vary greatly on the type of wine you want to make.

4) Last step: the Svinatura, consists in decanting the wine.

Useful tips before decanting the wine

The racking of wine it is a very delicate and important procedure, as a correct racking will allow the wine to express itself at its best once opened.

Before proceeding with the wine racking operation, you need to make sure that the bottles (or containers) you want to use are completely and properly cleaned in order to avoid possible alterations of the taste of the wine due to bacteria and microorganisms that can, for example, lurk inside the bottles.

For this purpose, it is possible to buy on the market through specialized sites and points of sale, products made specifically for the hygiene and cleaning of bottles for decanting.

Avoid dish detergents, degreasers or products that are too fragrant as you risk altering the taste of the wine.

When to decant the wine

About a month after the pressing (pressing) of the grapes it is essential to decant the wine for eliminate the "slime" deposit which over time has been formed at the bottom of the barrel.

Attention: it is very important to remember this operation in order to avoid altering the taste and flavor of the wine produced.

In case of using grapes that are not perfectly selected, it is necessary to integrate special products to sanitize the wine. Our advice is to contact a specialized technician The winemaker, who will be able to advise you on what to do.

Later, we move on to second racking of the wine. With the winter and therefore the cold, it often happens that the last slag of the grapes accumulate on the bottom of the barrels. It is therefore very important to proceed with the second racking in order to eliminate the last impurities and prepare the wine for the summer period.

It is a good idea, of course, keep the barrels in cool places, dry And away from the sun's rays.

Climate suitable for decanting wine

The decanting of wine, being a fairly delicate procedure, requires a sunny, mild, non-rainy day with no wind.

The right months to bottle

Always, the months most suitable to bottle wine are March And September. For wines that are to be consumed during the year, the month of March is recommended, since, as mentioned above, during the winter and therefore the colder months, a slime substance is deposited on the bottom of the barrels. Consequently, after the cold period, it will be possible to bottle clear and free wine of every impurity.

If, on the other hand, you intend to consume the wine produced the next year to that of the harvest, it is preferable to bottle during the month of september.

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