What are the benefits of using a wine carafe? Which wines need a carafe? What is the difference between a carafe and a decanter? So many questions that need answers before opening a bottle selected with care.
Carafe or Decanter?
The aeration of the wine, when transferring from the bottle to the carafe, brings balance to the wine. The decanter will do the opposite which is removing the residues from the wine without too much aeration, therefore without any contact with air. Different approaches require different carafe shapes.
Decanting a Mature Red Wine
An old red wine, which has flourished for many years in the bottle, must be intact when served. The decanter allows separating the wine from sediments. To achieve this, you will need to delicately transfer the wine from its original bottle to the carafe, in a slow, light and steady motion. The wine will reveal the delicate bouquet, in which the notes of fresh fruit will have given way to more developed scents (cooked fruit, dry fruit, etc.).
The ideal carafe for mature red wines should have a thin neck and narrow base to limit oxidation. Decant it just before serving at the same temperature as the bottle.
White Wine Carafe
It may be surprising to use a carafe for white wine, yet the action will give it a light aeration which will refine its aromatic purity while preserving its freshness. The wine will remain in the carafe for 15 minutes to an hour before serving.
The perfect carafe for white wines features a narrow base to limit the surface of aeration.
Which Peugeot Carafe for Mature red or White Wines?
Young Red Wine Carafe
The best young red wines designed to mature need many years to blossom and completely develop. Using a carafe helps accelerate the progress to maturity.
On the nose, there are pronounced aromas of red fruit notes typical of young wine, along with bouquets from the undergrowth.
The floral and spicy fragrances are revealed, the woody notes blend in the harmony of scents. The balance is created then the acidity, typical of young wines, slowly disappears and the tannins become silky. The ideal carafe for young wines must offer optimal contact between wine and oxygen; it will feature a flat shape and wide base, or a horizontal duck type shape or perhaps an aerator. Depending on the wine’s personality, transfer it to a carafe one to four hours before serving; the younger, more tannic the wine is, the more time it will need to open up.
Which Peugeot Carafe for Young Red Wines?
