Jesse Porter

The Spruce Eats One of the key things that separates wine from other alcoholic beverages is that wines often benefit from "opening up"—to have some exposure to oxygen before serving. Such a process enhances and awakens the wine's aromas and flavors after its long slumber in the bottle. While this can sometimes be achieved via a quick swirl in the glass, it's often preferable to break out a special vessel that's been purpose-built for aeration: the decanter.

Enrique DÃaz / 7cero / Getty Images While milk, yogurt, and cheese have long been mainstays of the American diet, many people are increasingly experimenting with or fully embracing dairy-free cuisine. Motivations vary—lactose intolerance is one, but also dairy allergies affect millions of children and adults. Others may choose to eschew dairy as part of a broader policy of avoiding animal products in general.

Wine lovers want every glass to be the best possible expression of a vintage since wine is a living product where multiple aspects affect what's in your glass. That includes whether or not the wine is aerated, or exposed to air when it's time to serve. Aerating a wine allows for volatile compounds like sulfites to evaporate while the interaction with oxygen opens up flavors and smoothes out tannins.