Should You Use a Wine Aerator for White Wine?

It's common wisdom that red wine needs to breathe before the tannins mellow and the flavours round out. But did you know that white wine benefits much more than expected from aeration? A young white wine can be tart, or nearly flavourless if served too cold, or straight from the bottle. Many vineyards and wine tastings routinely decant or aerate their whites to soften the flavours and bring out the buttery soft and citrus notes that white wine lovers enjoy.

For the average wine drinker, aerating wine can seem a bit pretentious or extreme, but with the introduction of inexpensive aerators, this concept can be put to the test in minutes, not hours. You've seen people swirling their glasses around at restaurants, and you may have wondered what all the drama was about - it's all about the same thing - air.

What is an Aerator?

Wine Aerators are relatively new devices in the must-have wine accessory category, competing with vacuum sealers and designer stoppers for the most requested gift items of 2010. These devices either bubble or stream air through the wine as it's being poured directly into the glass, eliminating the need for decanters and carafes. They can be found in glass or polycarbonate/acrylic models, in jewel tones or clear minimalist designs. Aerators start around $30, and usually come with attractive fabric cases or stands to complement your home bar.

Tannins

Because white wine spends less time with the skins, stems and seeds of the grape, it is generally less tannic - the substance that causes that bitter-dry-pucker sensation in your mouth. But fewer tannins don't mean zero tannins - white wine does need to air. If you've ever noticed that the last glass of the bottle tastes better than the first, you've already experienced this truth without knowing why.

White wines, like dry white Burgundies and white Bordeaux, Alsace whites, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc… all benefit from a little oxidization. Even sweet wines like Gewürztraminer and Reisling meld and mellow with a good amount of air.

Holiday Taste Test

This holiday season, take your favourite bottle of white, and serve a glass through an aerator, and one directly through the bottle. This is a great game to play with your friends and relatives, many have never seen an aerator before and will be completely dazzled by the difference in wines they've been drinking for years. Aeration makes good wines great, and great wines fabulous.

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