People Are Putting Wine in Their Blenders in the Name of ‘Hyperdecanting’

If you haven’t heard of “hyperdecanting” before, we’re about to blow your mind. A few years ago, master chef and author of Modernist Cuisine: The Art and Science of Cooking Nathan Myhrvold introduced a quicker way to decanter wine, and his method is still making the rounds on the internet today.

Before we go any further, let’s define “decanting” for the non-wine-buffs out there. Decanting wine basically means pouring wine from the bottle into another container called a decanter. You’re then supposed to let the wine sit for 20 to 30 minutes before indulging. There are two reasons people do this: to aerate the wine and to remove sediment.

Now, thanks to Myhrvold, people are pouring their marvelous bottles of wine into a blender. Why? Myhrvold claims “it’ll taste better.” We were still unsure, even after reading his tell-all how-to article “How to Decant Wine With a Blender.”

“I just pour the wine in, frappé away at the highest power setting for 30 to 60 seconds, and then allow the froth to subside (which happens quickly) before serving. I call it ‘hyperdecanting,'” Myhrvold writes. “Although torturing an expensive wine in this way may cause sensitive oenophiles to avert their eyes, it almost invariably improves red wines — particularly younger ones, but even a 1982 Château Margaux. Don’t just take my word for it, try it yourself.”

What’s the appeal? Getting a better tasting wine in seconds. But does it work? The internet seems to be divided.

“Over the years, I’ve seen countless devices that purport the use of crystals, magnets, glass straws or special metal stirrers and the like to help age or aerate a wine,” writes “Dr. Vinny” of Winespectator.com. “But to me, it’s really quite simple. Open a wine and pour yourself a glass. If it seems like it needs some more air, you can decant it, or just enjoy watching it evolve in your glass. Will putting a wine in a blender aerate it? Absolutely. Faster? Sure. Better? I’m not so certain.”

Guess we’ll only know if we try it for ourselves. What do you think? Does hyperdecanting make a mockery of the wine community or is it a quick-and-easy way to make cheap wine tasty?

Watch the video below to see 4-Hour Chef author Tim Ferris decanting wine both the traditional way and the new, modern way:

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