How to Serve and Decant Wine

Why Serving Wine Properly Matters

Wine behaves differently depending on temperature, oxygen exposure, storage, and even glass shape. A few small tweaks can elevate the flavour expression, texture, balance, and overall enjoyment of any bottle. 

If you’re building a mindful drinking routine, learning how to serve wine well is also a brilliant way to slow down, enjoy each sip, and appreciate quality over quantity. 

The Right Temperature for Every Wine

Serving wine too cold mutes flavours, while serving it too warm exaggerates alcohol and heaviness. Here’s a trusted temperature guide: 

Recommended Serving Temperatures

• Sparkling wine: 6–8°C 

• Light white wine: 7–10°C 

• Full-bodied white wine: 10–13°C 

• Rosé: 8–12°C 

• Light red wine: 12–14°C 

• Full-bodied red wine: 15–18°C 

Tip: If you’re unsure, serve slightly cooler — wine warms quickly in the glass. 

For advice on protecting wine before you even open it, explore our guide to The Best Ways to Store Your Wine.

Glassware: A Simple but Powerful Upgrade

Your glass doesn’t need to be fancy, but choosing the right shape helps aromas shine and enhances texture. 

Ultimately, you want to experience the wine’s full aromatic expression and a tulip-shaped glass is essential for that, whether it is a larger or smaller glass. 

• White wines: Smaller bowls keep them crisp and help to concentrate their delicate aromas.  

• Red wines: Larger bowls create more surface area for oxygen to interact with the wine, helping its aromatic compounds open up and reveal greater complexity. 

• Sparkling wines: Tulip glasses support both bubbles development and concentrating the aromas. 

If you’re updating your glass collection, read our expert guide on How to Select the Right Wine Glass for Your Home.

When Should You Decant Wine?

Despite the old stereotype, decanting isn’t just for big, brooding reds. It can help: 

• soften tannins 

• open up aromatics 

• refresh “tight” or reductive wines 

• remove sediment from older bottles 

If you pour a glass and it tastes muted or compressed, a quick decant is often the fix. 

How to Decant Wine (Without Overthinking It)

1. Choose a decanter or carafe — a wide base is ideal for red wines, while whites benefit from a vessel with a narrower base, similar to a regular water jug. 
2. Pour slowly down the side of the decanter to maximise oxygen exposure. 
3. Stop when sediment appears (for older wines). 
4. Let it rest — anywhere from 10 to 90 minutes depending on the wine. 

If you don’t have a decanter on hand, simply open the bottle 20–30 minutes before serving. It won’t have the same effect as decanting, but it can still help lift the aromatics and refresh wines that feel a bit “tight” or reductive. Although only a small step, it is far better than none to help the wine express itself more fully! 

How Long to Decant

• Young, tannic reds: 45–90 minutes 

• Medium-bodied reds: 20–45 minutes 

• Natural wines: 15 minutes to several hours depending on aroma 

• White wines: 10–20 minutes if they’re tight or reductive 

• Old wines: 5–10 minutes — too much air can overwhelm them 

There’s no single “correct” answer to this, as wine is a living thing that evolves over time. Some bottles may need more or less aeration than others. The key is to taste as it opens and keep notes for your future reference! 

Sip Better With Simple Techniques

Serving and decanting aren’t about being fancy — they’re about getting more from every bottle. With a little attention to temperature, glassware, storage, and oxygen, you’ll experience wine exactly as the winemaker intended.