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I’m planning a little decanting experiment for my forthcoming trip to the UK. Comment on the design of the experiment is hereby invited.

A magnum of Noval 1963 will be decanted in five different ways:

• Freehand into a magnum decanter, stopping before sediment appears. This ‘prime’ N63 will then be split three ways:
  • through nothing;
  • through new muslin;
  • through washed muslin;
• The remaining sediment-rich ‘non-prime’ N63 will be decanted, with light swishing of bottle to really stir up the muck, in two ways:
  • through an unbleached coffee filter;
  • through new muslin.

All six decanters used will have been recently washed and obsessively rinsed.

Can this experiment design be improved?

I will report back on whether the resulting liquids can be reliably distinguished.

Can this experiment design be improved?

Only to the extent that it might be a good idea to compare the results blind.

Small amounts of very fine sediment sometimes enhances the last glass out of a decanter, but a wine that is cloudy can appear compromised by the fact. Ideally, you should repeat the experiment several times from wines of different vintages and shippers!

Tom

uncle tom wrote:

Can this experiment design be improved?

Only to the extent that it might be a good idea to compare the results blind.

Yes and no. If, sighted, all present claim that the five are indistinguishable, then the matter is settled (at least for that magnum Noval 1963, but we politely assume that the result generalises). If any claim that any two can be distinguished, and that isn’t the general consensus, that person will be sent from the room and his/her glasses shuffled.

My prior is that the non-prime though muslin might have slight additional cloud, but that the other four will be indistinguishable.

The results of the experiment are described here.