Some wine drinkers declare that a red wine should be allowed to ‘breathe’ in the bottle before it is poured. Frankly, this doesn’t do much to improve the wine.

The surface area of the wine in the bottle neck is so small that hardly any oxygen can reach the wine in the hour or two in which it is left standing. If you really do want to oxygenate the wine, decant it by pouring it gently down the side of a glass decanter. Some older red wines develop a sediment at the bottom (or side, if the bottle has been stored lying down) of the bottle. This is not a sign of any defect, but if you prefer to keep the sediment out of the glass, you can also pour the wine carefully into a decanter, leaving the last bit, with the sediment, in the bottle.

Remember that wine should delight ALL the senses. It should not only taste and smell good, but look good as well. Serve wine in a thin, clear glass that shows off the colour and clarity to best advantage. Avoid coloured glasses.

The glass should have a stem, so it can be held without warming the wine inside it. The rim should preferably curve inward, so it gathers the aromas together and concentrates them under the drinker’s nose. Wine glasses should always be stored the right way up. If they are left upside down they can develop a slightly mouldy smell from the trapped damp air inside. They can also pick up odours from the shelf. Some restaurants use a rack that suspends wine glasses upside down by their bases. Glasses should be kept sparkling clean and given a wipe with a soft cloth before being set out. If they are washed in detergent, make sure they are well rinsed in clear water before drying. Even a minute hint of detergent residue can affect the taste of the wine.

To make selection a little easier for buyers, certain traditional bottle shapes and colours are used for the various styles of wine. There are no hard and fast rules, but producers usually follow traditional styles. Here’s what you will find.

In white wines brown glass is often used for sweeter wines, while green indicates a dry wine. The slender German-style bottles are usually used for sweeter, more fruity wines, while the wider, Burgundy bottles are preferred for dry whites, particularly Chardonnay. Clear glass can be used for wine intended for early drinking. Coloured glass filters harmful rays and prevents wine being darkened by too much exposure to bright light. Burgundy-shaped bottles are also traditionally used for earthy reds like Pinot Noir, while the squarer-shouldered claret bottles are used for Cabernet Sauvignon, red blends containing Cabernet, and Sauvignon Blanc. Port is often bottled in a dark brown bottle with very square shoulders and a longish neck.

Recent studies have indicated that wine—and red wine in particular—really is good for our health when taken in moderation. Apparently “moderation” in this case is about a glass and a half each day. The particular component of red wine that helps to reduce incidence of heart disease is a substance called resveritol, which appears to flush away the bad cholesterols that threaten to clog our arteries.

In order to ensure honesty in wine labelling, the Wine of Origin legislation was introduced a few decades ago and winemakers may apply to have their products certified.

A wine that bears the certification seal has been checked at each stage of its production -- from vineyard to bottle -- by an official from the Wine and Spirit Board. When you buy a bottle that has been certified you know that all the information contained on the label is reliable and correct.