Aeration?

[Bossbaby]

Does anyone else use an aerator when pouring a glass of wine? I dont hear any talk about using them. I've been using one for a little while and enjoy the difference it makes, I'm too impatient to let a bottle breath for more than 5 min so it definitely speeds things up and really mellows out the sharpness some wines have up front right after you pop the cork.

 

[winemaker81]

I use one that goes in the bottle, it's easier to use. It can make a tremendous difference

 

[Neb Farmer]

I do not use an aerator, per se , but I WILL pour a glass or two of wine into a cocktail shaker, shake it up for a minute, and serve. It works amazingly well when you find you needed to have decanted the wine you have... but didn't.

 

[CDrew]

I really like the ones you install in the bottle and pour through. I think it makes a significant difference, especially with Rhone grape wines. But I even pour Zinfandel through it and think that it's better.

 

[winemaker81]

I have 2 aerators. The one on the left my b-in-l gave me quite a while ago. I haven't seen that style in a while, so I don't know if it's still marketed.

The one on the right I purchased a few years ago, as the cheap plastic of my first one got chipped. My elder son (chemical engineer) saw it and immediately explained -- in gory detail that I vaguely understood -- why it works better.



This type is FAR easier to use than the pour-over type. In addition to not having to aim more carefully than the glass, it doesn't dribble much wine.

I just opened a southern Rhone (70% Grenache) and as I often do, compared the aerated and non-aerated wine. In this case the non-aerated is fruitier, but the aerated tastes more balanced; all the components are working better in sync and it tastes smoother. It's good either way, but better aerated.

I've had tannic wines that were undrinkable become VERY different after aeration.

Breathing can make a complete difference in a wine. Many moons ago I picked up a bottle of Chateau Mouton-Rothchild fairly cheap. It was from a liquor store in a small city -- I suspect the owner had purchased a case and it took him 10 years to sell it all. It was NOT the market for a higher end Bordeaux. In any case, I got the last bottle cheap.

I opened the bottle, several of us had a glass. MEH. It was nothing special; several other wines we opened that night were far better.

The next afternoon I poured the last quarter bottle into a glass to swill it down. OH MY FREAKING GAWD. It was the best wine I had tasted up to that point in my life. Never under estimate the importance of breathing for a red.

 

[ratflinger]

I like to decant through a filter into a carafe. I think it makes a difference, others might disagree

 

[fygunes]

I have this one, Pretty good, works well.

 

[winemanden]

I have 2 aerators. The one on the left my b-in-l gave me quite a while ago. I haven't seen that style in a while, so I don't know if it's still marketed.

The one on the right I purchased a few years ago, as the cheap plastic of my first one got chipped. My elder son (chemical engineer) saw it and immediately explained -- in gory detail that I vaguely understood -- why it works better.

View attachment 79636

This type is FAR easier to use than the pour-over type. In addition to not having to aim more carefully than the glass, it doesn't dribble much wine.

I just opened a southern Rhone (70% Grenache) and as I often do, compared the aerated and non-aerated wine. In this case the non-aerated is fruitier, but the aerated tastes more balanced; all the components are working better in sync and it tastes smoother. It's good either way, but better aerated.

I've had tannic wines that were undrinkable become VERY different after aeration.

Breathing can make a complete difference in a wine. Many moons ago I picked up a bottle of Chateau Mouton-Rothchild fairly cheap. It was from a liquor store in a small city -- I suspect the owner had purchased a case and it took him 10 years to sell it all. It was NOT the market for a higher end Bordeaux. In any case, I got the last bottle cheap.

I opened the bottle, several of us had a glass. MEH. It was nothing special; several other wines we opened that night were far better.

The next afternoon I poured the last quarter bottle into a glass to swill it down. OH MY FREAKING GAWD. It was the best wine I had tasted up to that point in my life. Never under estimate the importance of breathing for a red.

Over the years I've noticed that even Chateau Winemanden red improves the next day.
When we had the local winemaking club going, we used to pour tannic reds from glass to glass several times. Even a simple trick like that very often improved them.