Why should you aerate your wine before drinking? The reason for aerating or letting a wine breath is to allow the wine to be exposed to the air and thereby softening the wine characteristics, the oxygen brings the wine back to live so to speak. Aerated wines release more aromas, have a softer feel, and are better balanced versus a wine that is poured straight from the bottle. There are several methods you can use to aerate your wine making them more enjoyable.
Decanter – you don’t have to go out and buy a fancy decanter, although they can be found for as little as $10. Use a vase, clean please, juice pitcher or anything with a wide enough opening that will allow the air to mingle with the wine. Most wines will typically begin to soften within an hour so decant well before sitting down to enjoy your wine.
Wine glass- you can simply pour the wine in the glass and let it sit for a while but then you have to do this with each glass. Another wine glass option is to swirl, everyone has seen this at some point in time. It does work but you really have to get a good swirl going and if you are unaccustomed to swirling the wine can come too close to the rim of the glass and that’s just bad form.
Aerators – these little contraptions are great and come in a variety of forms. They also work immediately so you can enjoy your wine as soon as you uncork. There are aerators that fit in the spout of the wine bottle and aerate as the wine passes through into the glass. Most of these are simple to use but there some that are a little complicated. Other aerators you hold over the glass as you pour the wine, the wine is then pushed through a small mesh screen creating bubbles in the wine. These can be a little cumbersome since you have to hold the aerator in one hand over the glass all the while pouring the wine into the aerator but can make a noticeable difference versus spout attached.
Some purist say you shouldn’t rush the natural opening of the wine and opt for decanting only. I think this is personal preference so use what works best for you and allows you to enjoy your wine the most.
Decanter – you don’t have to go out and buy a fancy decanter, although they can be found for as little as $10. Use a vase, clean please, juice pitcher or anything with a wide enough opening that will allow the air to mingle with the wine. Most wines will typically begin to soften within an hour so decant well before sitting down to enjoy your wine.
Wine glass- you can simply pour the wine in the glass and let it sit for a while but then you have to do this with each glass. Another wine glass option is to swirl, everyone has seen this at some point in time. It does work but you really have to get a good swirl going and if you are unaccustomed to swirling the wine can come too close to the rim of the glass and that’s just bad form.
Aerators – these little contraptions are great and come in a variety of forms. They also work immediately so you can enjoy your wine as soon as you uncork. There are aerators that fit in the spout of the wine bottle and aerate as the wine passes through into the glass. Most of these are simple to use but there some that are a little complicated. Other aerators you hold over the glass as you pour the wine, the wine is then pushed through a small mesh screen creating bubbles in the wine. These can be a little cumbersome since you have to hold the aerator in one hand over the glass all the while pouring the wine into the aerator but can make a noticeable difference versus spout attached.
Some purist say you shouldn’t rush the natural opening of the wine and opt for decanting only. I think this is personal preference so use what works best for you and allows you to enjoy your wine the most.
The taste is less acidic and has a smoother feel on the tongue. The finish is as smooth as ice and you'll love it all the way to the last drop. For those who truly enjoy this experience, wine aerators are simply a must!
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