Ramesh Shrestha Maijubahal, Kathmandu Decanting does two things: separates the wine from any sediment that may have formed and aerates the wine. While some feel that extra boost of oxygen can open up a wine and give it extra life, others feel it makes a wine fade faster, and that swirling wine in a glass is sufficient aeration. A particularly fragile or old wine should only be decanted 30 minutes or so before drinking. A younger, more vigorous, full-bodied wine (and yes, even whites) can be decanted an hour or more before serving. I�ve had wines that were decanted for hours and even days that were showing beautifully, but these experiments can be risky. One more tip about handling an older wine-set it upright for a day or more before drinking, so the sediment can slide to the bottom of the bottle and make it easier to separate while decanting.