Raise a glass of great vino with help from Chatelaine's wine expert Natalie MacLean. Here are her tips to serving – and enjoying – a perfect glass.

Pour wine out of the bottle and into a decanter, which can be a water jug, specially designed wine decanter or another large vessel to soften the wine and clarify it of any remaining sediment (the tiny particles from the grapes). Exposing robust red wines to air softens their harsh tannins, which make them taste smoother. White wines don't have strong tannins, so they taste best when fresh from the bottle.

Serve red wine at about 17C. You can buy a wine thermometer if you really want to be sure, but the wine should be slightly cooler than room temperature. Some light reds, such as beaujolais or other gamay region wines, are better served at cooler temperatures to capture their freshness.