decantei

Decantei is the first-person singular preterite form of the Portuguese verb decantar, meaning to pour off a liquid from one container to another, typically to separate sediment or to aerate the liquid. It is used in narrative as a past action: eu decantei o vinho, eu decantei o líquido para clarificar.

In the context of wine, decantar is a common practice to remove sediment from bottled wine and to expose the liquid to air, which can enhance aroma and flavor. The process usually involves pouring slowly from the bottle into a decanter, aiming to keep solid sediment in the bottle while the clearer wine flows out. Decanting is especially associated with older red wines and with wines that benefit from aeration, though it can also be used for certain whites. The past tense form decantei would appear in a sentence describing that action in the past.

In chemistry and other industries, decanting describes a separation technique where a liquid is allowed to settle and the clear liquid is poured away from the settled solids. This method relies on gravity rather than filtration and is used for suspensions or mixtures requiring gentle separation.

Etymology and related terms: decantar derives from Latin decantare, with pathways into Portuguese and other Romance languages, and is linked to the noun decantação or the action of decanting. The term is used across contexts to denote the act of pouring away a portion of a liquid to achieve clarification or separation.