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What is depot?
Depot is the term used to describe the sediment that forms in the course of bottle ageing, especially in full-bodied, tannin-rich red wines. The deposit is caused by the individual molecules of certain ingredients of the wine (especially colouring agents and tannins) joining together to form larger molecular chains. This so-called polymerisation is a completely natural process that occurs more frequently in wines that have not been filtered before bottling. By not filtering, one wants to preserve all the diversity and intensity of the wine's aromas.
Depot is not a wine defect, but rather a quality characteristic, because it makes the substance of the wine visible, so to speak, and indicates drinking maturity. Even if the deposit is harmless to health (it only tastes bitter), it is separated from the wine for aesthetic reasons before enjoying it by decanting it. This is done by carefully decanting the wine from the bottle into a carafe so that the sediment remains in the bottle.