As I contemplete the purpose of decanting wine......I have come to the realization that I have two lovely decanters that I have never used. When I purchase a bottle of wine, I just want to come home, pop the cork, and pour a glass. If I just take the extra step, I may surprise myself with an extraordinary "next level" glass of vino!
O.k.........Here are the details
Decanting by definition is just pouring (decanting) wine from the bottle into another vessel (a.k.a that pretty crystal decanter/or sleek modernistic glass you notice in pictures). Decanting aerates the wine. As, many young wines can be tight or closed on the nose or palate, the wine is slowly poured from the bottle to the decanter, taking in oxygen. This subtle action helps open up the aromas and flavors.
On occasian, you may notice sedimentation, which will alter the taste of the wine. Slowly and gently decanting the wine ensures the sediment will remain in the bottle and not in the two most important places......the decanter and your wine glass.
For those who choose to pour the wine and not decant.............
For aeration purposes......swirling the wine in the glass, has just the same effect of decanting.
On another note, decanting can expose the wine to too much oxygen, leading to oxidation and dissipation of aromas and flavor, therefor moderation is key...
The case (wine) is out on this one......lol......*no pun intended.
Wine for thought.....you can decant Champagne and full-bodied white wines.......not only red wines!
~info cred: thekitchn.com and Wine Folly
Thanks for Sippin' w/ Crüology Vines