• Different wine glasses allow for different rates of oxidation.red wine poured into wine glass image by Allen Penton from Fotolia.com
  
  Oxidation occurs when a wine is exposed to air. Wines generally require some aeration to "open" the wine---thus, the expression "letting a wine breathe"---but oxidation can happen when the exposure to air lasts too long. Typically, wine drinkers can detect oxidation through smell and taste, as an oxidized wine has an unpleasant aroma and flavor. It may also be brownish in color. Some types of glasses expedite the process of oxidation, while others reduce it.
  
  

Decanters

• A decanter is a large bulb-shaped or mallet-shaped piece of glassware, similar to a carafe. It is used to aerate an entire bottle of wine at one time. While a decanter helps with the serving of wine, it also lets wine breathe easier, as the large space inside a decanter allows the wine to be stimulated (moved or swirled around), thus releasing more aroma. Many assert that using a decanter gives the wine a smoother or more complex finish. The top of a decanter is narrow, allowing only so much oxygen to come into contact with the wine. However, this method serves to expose an entire bottle to air, increasing the risk of oxidation.
  
  

Burgundy and Bordeaux Glasses

• Red wine glasses, because of their bowl-shaped design, encourage more air to reach the wine. This is because red wines are generally more compatible with aeration, which can trigger the release of more complex aromas and tastes. Two types of red wines, Burgundy and Bordeaux, have their own types of wine glass. While both are broad, allowing the wine to reach the back of the mouth once tipped, the Burgundy glass is broader and has a larger bowl than the Bordeaux glass.
  
  

White Wine Glasses

• Generally, a wide-mouthed glass allows the maximum amount of contact between air and wine. However, white wines, which are full flavored as opposed to full bodied, require only slight aeration, so a narrower glass is required. While still allowing the wine to breathe, the narrow, tulip-shaped white wine glass will help reduce the oxidation rate.