Decanting red wines is somewhat common. Decanting a white wine is less common. But, decanting a sparkling wine? Really?

The answer is again, Yes!

Decanting a sparkling wine may seem a bit unorthodox and even counter-intuitive, but a sparkling wine can actually benefit from decanting.

Before today’s practice of riddling or remuage, Champagnes were decanted in order to leave as much yeast used in the second fermentation (the one that creates the bubbles) behind in the bottle. Otherwise, you’d be pouring cloudy Champagne into a glass. And, nobody wants cloudy Champagne.

Decanting a sparkling wine can also be done to tame the bubbles. Sometimes, the sparkling wine may be extra bubbly, or the consumer may not enjoy a super-bubbly wine. So, decanting can help reduce the level of carbonation so that the drinker can focus more on the flavors than the texture.

To decant a sparkling wine, slowly transfer of the wine to the decanter by pouring down the side instead of directly in to the center of the decanter. Then, give it a short bit of time - 15 to 30 minutes max. It’s then ready to serve!

So, next time you open a bottle of sparkling wine, try decanting it and see what you think. It just may become a habit! Cheers!