Aerating wine is the act of quickly oxygenating it. Decanting into a carafe lets you separate the wine and often soften the tannins, as well as open up the aromas. That said, aerating wine is not an absolute must: in some cases it is better to simply open the wine a few hours before tasting it rather than aerate it in a carafe. Let’s take a look at aerating wine right now.
Why aerate wine?
You have kept a wine for years in your wine cellar at the right temperature. As you wipe the dust off the wine bottle’s label, you wonder what steps to follow to taste this wine. You turn to the carafe and ask yourself: what for? The answer is simple, aerating lets you air the wine, oxygenate it. In doing so, it softens the wine, mellows the tannins and lets the aromas express themselves. It is worth distinguishing between aerating and decanting. Aerating means pouring the wine into a carafe to oxygenate it and give it plenty of contact with the air. Decanting, on the other hand, means opening a bottle of wine several hours before drinking it. That also oxygenates it, but more gently.
When to aerate wine?
Aerating is not an absolute rule. It all depends on the wine you are about to drink and its age. So make sure your wine really should be aerated before you do it.
Aerating an old wine
Aerating an old wine is a bit riskier. In that case, the bottle has rested for years and years in your cellar. Quickly oxygenating such a wine can shock it. As a rule, you should avoid aerating an old wine in a carafe. You can, however, decant it. To do that, simply open the bottle and let it rest for a few hours in your cellar. The wine will then oxygenate very slowly and gently. To allow better oxygenation, you can pour a little into a glass. The surface of wine exposed to the air will then be larger. Before serving, you can pour the contents of the glass back into the bottle (unless you have already drunk it).
Aerating a natural wine
It is often advised to aerate natural wine. Aerating oxygenates the wine. In the case of natural wines, this gives them the chance to express themselves. In particular, some nature wines need a lot of time to show their potential. So do not hesitate to put natural wine in a carafe and even let it rest for a few hours in it. By doing so, the wine can also reach a certain stability that you can then fully enjoy.
Aerating a young wine
If you are about to taste a wine that is a bit young, putting it in a carafe is an excellent idea. If the wine’s tannins are still a little hard because of the wine’s youth, aerating will help soften it. So if you are finishing a wine from the South, a Bordeaux or a Côtes du Rhône, going through the carafe is often a good idea. On the other hand, some wines and some grape varieties do not take well to the carafe. That is the case for Pinot Noir and some Burgundy wines. White wines, however, lend themselves very well to aerating.
How to aerate wine?
Aerating a wine is not the hardest move. Once the bottle is open, slowly pour the liquid down the side of the carafe while tilting it. To protect the wine, pour it very slowly. If you want to honor tradition, you can light a candle on the side of the carafe wall where you are pouring the wine. The candlelight will let you see the sediment in the wine and how much there is.
How long to aerate wine?
Aerating leads to strong oxygenation of the wine. So you do not need to leave it in the carafe too long: the wine could fade. In general, it is advised to aerate wine for two hours. You can go up to three for wines that are a little too shy. Looking for a carafe? You can go for this one or this one. We make a little money if you buy through this link, but you are of course under no obligation!
