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DECANTING
The main reason for decanting red wines is to separate the wine from the sediment that may have formed in the bottle over the years. This sediment consists mainly of the tannins that have been made insoluble by the chemical reactions responsible for the ageing process. The decanting operation is accompanied by some oxygenation, which is often beneficial to young and powerful wines but which could, in fact, be damaging to the oldest wines. For young wines, it isn’t necessary to decant because there is generally no sediment in the bottle. But a light aeration often helps them to “open up”, that is to say to show their aromas better. One can choose either to decant them or to leave them in the glass a moment before drinking them. As soon as the wines have sediment in the bottle, it’s better to decant them whatever their age. The simplest way is to carefully decant the wine into a carafe – or another bottle – above a lighted candle. The sediment will slide along the bottle into the shoulder and the neck of the bottle. In general, it’s better not to decant too long before serving. It’s not necessary to decant the Pavillon Blanc du Château Margaux when it’s young. But after a few years, it’s preferable to pour it into a carafe before serving. 醒酒 红葡萄酒醒酒的主要目的是把酒里多年沉淀的物质分离出来。葡萄酒陈化时,单宁在化学反应作用下失去可溶性,沉淀物由此而来。醒酒时往往会产生一些氧化,对低龄和强大的葡萄酒颇有好处,但对陈酿葡萄酒不利。年轻的葡萄酒中尚无沉淀,则不需要醒酒,但醒酒有一个好处,就是可以使葡萄酒“开放”,葡萄酒的香气更清晰明显。醒酒的方式可有两种,或把葡萄酒倒在醒酒器中,或在饮用前让酒在酒杯中多放置一段时间。 一旦葡萄酒瓶中出现沉淀,不管酒龄多长,最好都利用醒酒把沉淀物去掉。最j簡单的办法是在一支点燃的蜡烛上,把酒倒在醒酒器里或另一只酒瓶中,让沉淀物从酒瓶底部慢慢向颈部移动。一般在饮用前最好不要过早醒酒。 玛歌酒庄的白亭葡萄酒窖藏时间不长时不用醒酒,但存放时间较长时,在饮用前最好把酒倒进醒酒器中。 |