You could live two lifetimes and still . The centuries-old beverage has its share of experts ( ), but if you're just an everyday Joe (or Josephina) who enjoys a glass with dinner or a tasting tour now and then, the word "decanting" might seem fraught with mystery and intimidation. Decanting is actually a super simple act — it's just pouring wine from its bottle into something else, typically a decanter, which tends to be glass, with a thinner neck that leads into a wider bottom.
But how do you know when your bottle of wine should be decanted or not? A good rule of thumb is that most red wines, regardless of their age, should be decanted: Older wines, to help separate the sediment from the rest of the vino, and younger wines, to expose it to oxygen, which enhances its flavors and aromas. White wines don't tend to need decanting, but — and this goes for any bottle of wine you might open — if you take a first sip and something is off, and you just can't put your finger on it, try decanting it before drinking any more. The one exception to the "most red wines" rule is a vino that's hit the half-century mark or has gone beyond.
There is a delicacy to wine that is over the age of 50 that could be disrupted by the introduction of too much oxygen. How to go about decanting your wine First things first: You'll need a decanter, which is different from a carafe, as it is specifically made to allow for maximum oxygenation. There are four different types, standard, cornet, duck, and.