Most of the time, I skip using wine decanters during my wine tastings. I tend to prefer to swirl wine in my glass, aerating as much or as little as I choose before smelling and tasting a wine. However. Some wines really do show better with decanting, and it’s also just nice to have a fancy decanter on hand for those guests and dinner parties. You’ll find that there are myriad styles of decanters available, from the wildly intricate to simple and classic. Even scientific beakers make great decanters for a budget-friendly pick.

Worth noting: this wide-bottomed style of decanter is best used with young wines, especially big, bold red wines. If you’re opening an old wine, please consider using a slimmer decanter like this one from Jancis Robinson by Richard Brendon, since old wines are more delicate and you’re going to want to limit oxygen exposure to really soak in the full experience.