Decanters vs Aerators: Which one comes out on top?
Deciding on the best way to let your wine breathe can be a difficult one.I am ready to start enjoying my glass of wine right away when I open a bottle. I generally dont have much patience for allowing it to breathe. Why do we let wine breathe? By letting your wine breathe or aerate it allows for the full flavors to emerge and make the wine more palatable. While there are many wines that do not need to go through this process, it is good to know the little details that can make a big difference.Here are a few tips to help you enjoy your wine to its fullest potential.
The reason why wines needs to breathe, or age, is because of tannins. Tannins can transfer into wine during the fermentation process from seeds and skins of grapes. Fuller flavors will begin to surface when the tannins, which acts like a natural presevative, begin to break down. White wines and some red wines have low levels of these and therefore do not need aging, or periods of breathing, before drinking. Generally all red wines can benefit from aeration, but those that are lighter and fruitier generally don't require much aeration.
The term breathing refers to the mixing of oxygen with wine allowing the breakdown of tannins. When you use a decanter your are allowing the wine to mix with oxygen, allowing fuller flavors engulf your taste buds.
If you choose to allow your wine to breathe, you still have one more decision to make. Which is a better option for me, the decanter or an aerator? When using a decanter, you should make sure that you have at least one hour to allow the wine to breathe. This is plenty of time for your wine to mix with oxygen and for its full flavors to emerge.Pour your bottle of wine, or the portion you want to drink, into the decanter and let it remain there. The more surface area if the wine that is exposed to air, the sooner you will be able to enjoy.
If you just opened a bottle of wine five minutes before guests arrived, or you are only wanting to drink a single glass, decantors may not be the best way to aerate your wine. Aerators serve the same purpose of decanters, but can achieve the same effect in the time it takes you to pour a glass. Two types of aerators are available: one that is seperate from the bottle, and one that attches as a spout directly in the bottle of wine.
The Vinturi wine aerator allows you to speed up the breathing process by mixing the perfect amount of air for the perfect amount of time to bring out the color, aroma, and flavor of your wines. All you do is pour your glass of wine through the aerator. A drip free stand elminates the need to clean up wine spots.
The second option, which is more user friendly especially for multi-tasking person, is the Nuance Wine Finer . Enjoy your glass of wine in an instant with this easy to use aerator. After opening your bottle, just place the Wine Finer into the bottle and pour a glass of wine, you will hear "gurgling" noises which is the sound of the wine being aerated. After using the Wine Finer, just re-cork it with the top of the device. Your next glass of aerated wine will be waiting for you.
So before you decide whether to get yourself a decanter or an aerator, consider your time constraints. Before using the decanter, make sure there is sufficient time for the wine to breath. You can play it safe but allowing your wine to breathe in an instant with a Vinturi or Wine Finer.
Oenophilia Vinturi™ Red Wine Aerator 7692974
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Vinturi Essential Wine Aerator Wine needs to breathe to allow it to open up, release its intended aromas, and of course, make it taste better. Vinturi’s patent pending design speeds up this process by instantly aerating with ease and convenience. The perfect aeration in the time it takes to pour a glass of wine…. |
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Vinturi Deluxe 6-Piece Wine Aerator Set $61.00 Vinturi Deluxe 6-Piece Wine Aerator Set… |
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Trudeau Aroma Aerating Pourer with Stand $24.00 Every glass of wine deserves to be savored equally, and it’s possible with Trudeau’s Aroma Aerating Pourer. The transparent aerator easily attaches to a wine bottle improving both the bouquet and the flavor of the wine. The double aeration allows the wine to be aerated while it is inside the bottle, as well as during pouring. It’s decanting, by the glass, made easy. Five year warranty. By Trudeau … |