A glass container that holds and serves wine is called a wine decanter. There are mainly three reasons why to use a wine decanter and there is a controversy among wine fanatics about exactly what wines should be decanted and for how long prior to serving the wine should be decanted. There are really no standard rules about decanting wine but here are three to think about.

1. Presentation- Wine that is served in an elegant decanter is definitely something special. When you serve wine in a decanter, you are showing your guests that you are serving a very special wine. It is very beautiful serving wine in a decanter and it does help in presenting the wine.

2. Aeration- By decanting the wine, it exposes it to oxygen in the air. While the wine is stored, the idea is to let as little air as possible to the wine. When the wine is decanted for a few hours before it is actually served, the wine is exposed to air which can do wondrous things to wine. It can allow the wine to be served at its best.

3. To remove sediment- Most fine wines have sediment in them but most people do not want this in their glasses. By first standing the bottle up for a few hours and then gently pouring the wine into the decanter, the sediment is left in the bottle. Then the wine can be safely served to your guests from the decanter.

I do not believe there are any written rules about when to use a wine decanter and when not to. I think the main reason most people use a wine decanter is because it looks so pretty.

When I have a party, I prefer to bring out my crystal decanter and serve the chilled wine in that, rather than a bottle. I think it looks beautiful and classy and to be honest more appealing.

Now wine is filtered and we do not need to decant it, but back in the day, wine contained solid matter. People would decant the wine to avoid bringing an unsightly looking wine to the table.

Today the decanter is mostly used for cosmetic reasons. I personally think wine decanters look beautiful!

Generally speaking decanting wine is for older aged-in-the-bottle red wines. There is sediment the deposits in red wines, especially as they age that a decanter will clear up. Not only is the wine visibly clearer, but the sediments can have an off putting taste if you have quite a build up of them. Sometimes, young wine needs a little aeration before serving, in which case a decanter will also come in handy. It depends on the wine you are using, if you have homemade wine, I would definitely recommend using a decanter. But you can also use it depending on the type of wine you have bought, and how long it's aged, as well.

If you have store bought wine, you shouldn't have the need to decant; the fining processes underwent in the bottling for store bought wines take care of the sediments. With these wines, it would be more of a case to create a beautiful set-up if you put the wine in the decanter.

Hope this helps you out!

http://www.homebrewit.com/blog/2010/08/31/every-oenophile-should-have-their-own-wine-making-supplies/