Chinese people, being relatively new to the concept of wine drinking, are soaking up wine knowledge like sponges. But it is only natural that some aspects are often misunderstood. One of these is decanting. Decanting is beneficial for wines that are over four years old and may have sediments, or for young full-bodied reds with great aging potential that need to breathe. A ¥150 bottle of Chilean wine, however, does not need to be decanted. Yet many customers request that we do so, as that’s how they’ve seen it done, and they want to stand out as wine connoisseurs among the average Joes who are simply pouring from the bottle. But sometimes we just have to say no to decanting, thus helping to educate people about how to drink wines. For those interested in decanting at home, there are a lot of options. You can buy top-end Schott Zweisel decanters at Enoteca for ¥1,800. But you’ll find decanters for a couple hundred at wine stores around town. To get one on a budget, try the Liangmaqiao Flower Market.

Tomaz Hladnik, Manager of Enoteca