Decanting wine brings out the aroma of the wine. Young red wines usually benefit most from pouring the wine from its bottle into a decanter (an empty glass container large enough to hold the contents of the bottle and have plenty of room for air).

Using a decanter with a wide base is helpful. The pouring process exposes the wine to air and this is what brings out the aroma. Instead of decanting you could open the bottle and let it sit for an hour or more to accomplish the same objective but decanting greatly speeds up the process.

Pouring the wine through a wine aerator (like the Vinturi) is an alternative to decanting and an even quicker way of thoroughly exposing the wine to air. You will often see people swirling their wine in their glass before tasting; this technique is also used to help bring out the aroma.

Decanting wines separate the wine from any sediment (harmless particles from grape skins, seeds, and stems) that may have settled in the bottle. Some producers intentionally do not filter their wine thoroughly because they believe the wine (particularly red wines) will become more flavorful as it ages in the bottle. You can see if there is sediment in a bottle by gently raising it to a bright light, keeping it horizontal and looking at the side where the bottle has been resting to see if there is sediment (dark residue) coating the side of the bottle. If you see this, gently turn the bottle upright, remove the cork, and then gently pour it into a decanter keeping the side with the sediment down. Stop pouring when you see the sediment starting to approach the neck of the bottle. Having a light source like a candle under the neck of the bottle helps you see when the sediment starts moving toward the neck. While sediment is harmless, allowing it to mix with the wine will cause cloudiness and a slightly bitter taste.

If you are in the market for a decanter, also purchase an aerator or a funnel that has a screen or mesh filter in it. The removable ones are best and easiest to clean. The filter will catch any sediment that may have passed through the neck of the bottle and prevent it from entering the decanter.

Most new or young bottles will not need to be decanted. You will find that the older wines will need this assistance and will taste better if you apply this method to your experience.