Back to basics

Where a wine's taste really comes from, and the Italian wine house that reminded me.

Does the glass matter?

A glass changes a wine more than "any tumbler will do" — and less than the marketing claims. What actually matters (bowl, rim, and a clean glass), and what you can safely ignore.

How long should wine breathe?

Pulling the cork and "letting it breathe" does almost nothing. What breathing actually does, which wines need it, and how long to give them — from a quick swirl to the decanter.