Aeration in wine is almost exclusively for red wine. There are a very small number of older whites that breathing can alter, but a majority of affected wines are young reds. When I say young, I mean bottled less than eight years! This time frame is important because over time, air is exposed to the wine due to imperfections in the cork. Any wine that is aged more than eight years has already been exposed to air and will require little to no aeration before drinking. Wines that are younger than eight years can be left in a decanter or aerator for up to two hours before serving. This does not mean that after two hours the wine is no longer good – it simply means that the air mixture has already started to affect the taste. The taste of an aerated wine will be lower in tannins and acidity. In other words, the sweeter aromas and flavors will be brought out. The more full-bodied the wine is, the more time spent aerating it will bring out the sweeter profiles.

Aeration of wine is not required for all tastings. Taste is a preference; so if you prefer a drier and tannin-filled red, don’t let your wine breathe long or at all. If you are entertaining or prefer smoother and sweeter wine, open your bottle long before drinking it. Aeration alone will not solve all tasting impediments, but it is one of the key strategies you can use to help you taste what ingredients are actually in your wine.

The post Let it breathe appeared first on Bourbon Tobacco Wine.