our a little of the wine into the carafe and swish it around, depositing the rinse in a service glass. This step, known as avvinare in Italian, is designed to remove any odors - such as chlorinated water or cleaning agents - from the carafe.
Light a candle and hold the bottle - whether in a basket or not - in a pouring position so that the neck is illuminated by the flame. Pour slowly.
Stop pouring when the first signs of sediment appear at the bottle neck. Check the wine's transparency by holding the carafe against the candle. Then pour a little into the taster's glass for approval.
Some connoisseurs prefer to let the wine rest in carafe for a while to compose bouquet and flavor before being served, though that isn't always necessary. Some very old wines lose vitality if they remain too long in carafe, so it is best to taste them and decide immediately after decanting.
