Decant
Etymology
From Medieval Latin "decanthare," from "de-" (off) plus "canthus" (the lip or edge of a vessel). The word describes the careful act of tipping liquid over the rim while leaving the sediment behind; figuratively, to decant is to transfer anything slowly and carefully from one place to another.
verb · /dih-KANT/
To pour wine gently off its sediment into another vessel, both to clarify it and to let it breathe.
What it names
The ritual that separates clear wine from its dregs and opens up an older or tannic bottle by exposing it to air.
Example
He decanted the old Bordeaux an hour before dinner to let it wake up and shed its sediment.
Related idea
A classic task of the sommelier: deciding whether a wine needs decanting — and for how long — is part of the expertise that role brings to the table.