What is the difference between decanting and carafing?

Decanting and carafing are often used interchangeably, but they do not mean the same thing. In both methods, you pour wine from the bottle into a carafe, but the purpose differs. You carafe to allow wine to breathe and open up its flavors. You decant to separate sediment from the wine. In practice, these purposes sometimes overlap, but the distinction is important if you want to understand what you are doing and why.

What is carafing?

Carafing is pouring wine into a carafe to bring it into contact with air. Through this contact with oxygen, the aromas open up, tannins soften, and the wine's flavor comes into its own. This process is also called aerating. It is especially useful for young red wines that are still closed in flavor. A robust Cabernet Sauvignon or a young Barolo greatly benefits from an hour or two in a carafe.

You don't need a special technique for carafing. You simply pour the wine into a carafe and let it sit. The wider the base of the carafe, the larger the surface area in contact with air, and the faster the wine will open up.

What is decanting?

Decanting is carefully pouring wine to leave sediment in the bottle. Older red wines, and sometimes vintage ports, form a natural precipitate of tannins and color particles after years of aging. This sediment is not harmful, but it gives a bitter, gritty sensation in the glass and looks unkempt.

When decanting, hold the bottle at an angle above a carafe and pour slowly, while illuminating the bottom of the bottle with a candle or flashlight. As soon as you see the sediment approaching the neck, stop pouring. The remaining sediment stays in the bottle. So, with decanting, the technique is more important than with carafing.

When do you use which method?

How long do you carafe or decant wine?

The time wine needs in a carafe depends on the type of wine and its age. Young, robust red wines often need one to two hours to fully open up. Lighter red wines such as a Pinot Noir are at their best after just thirty minutes. White wine and rosé only need ten to twenty minutes, sometimes even less.

For old wines that you decant for sediment, it is important not to wait too long. Older wines are delicate and can quickly deteriorate after contact with air. Serve them within an hour after decanting.

Which carafe do you use for decanting?

For carafing, a carafe with a wide base is ideal. The large surface area ensures maximum contact with air, allowing the wine to breathe faster. For decanting old wines, a carafe with a narrow neck and a slightly smaller base is sometimes more practical: the wine comes into contact with air less quickly, which is better for delicate old bottles.

In practice, a good decanting carafe is suitable for both purposes. What matters most is that the carafe has clear glass, so you can clearly see the color of the wine, and that it is easy to handle when pouring. View Mémoire's collection of decanting carafes for models suitable for both decanting and carafing.

Should you always decant or carafe wine?

No. Not every wine benefits from a carafe. Light, fresh wines that are already easily accessible have little to gain from aeration. The same applies to white wines you want to serve cold: in a carafe at room temperature, they quickly warm up. And old, delicate wines can suffer too much from a long stay in an open carafe.

As a rule of thumb: young red wines with a lot of structure benefit most from carafing. Old red wines with sediment require decanting. For the rest, it is a matter of preference and occasion.

Cleaning the carafe after use

After decanting or carafing, cleaning is important, especially if wine residues dry on the inside. Rinse the carafe immediately after use with lukewarm water. For stubborn stains, coarse salt with ice cubes or white vinegar helps. Read more in how to remove wine stains from a carafe. For drying without water streaks, a decanting carafe drying rack is a convenient solution.