FOOD NEWS
The Reason You Usually Don’t Need To Decant White Wine
BY SYLVIA TOMCZAK
While white wines can be decanted, it's not a common practice because they aren't typically macerated or aged in oak barrels, which leaves them virtually tannin-free.
The goal of decanting is to make wine more palatable by softening harsh tannins, which white wine doesn't require. Additionally, these wines are meant to be enjoyed young.
Plus, many whites won't eventually produce a natural buildup of sediment in the bottle, which means decanting isn't necessary from an aesthetic standpoint, either.
Only decant white wines that contain tannins, such as orange wine or barrel-aged Chardonnay, white Burgundy, Abruzzese Trebbiano, Austrian Grüner Veltliner, or Hungarian Furmint.