Why should you aerate your wine, and what does decanting actually mean? Aerating wine is an important part of bringing out all the flavor and aroma that the wine has to offer, and a wine aerator or a wine decanter is therefore a necessary tool for all wine lovers. In this guide, you will find our best tips on what to consider when it comes to aerating and decanting wine.
Advantages of aerating wine
Aerating wine has several advantages and most wines benefit from being aerated before you drink them. What happens when you aerate your wine is that oxygen is added to the wine and a greater aroma profile is formed. This enhances both the taste and smell of the wine and can also remove sediment that is primarily found in mature red wines.
Test the difference yourself by pouring your wine directly into the glass, and then through a wine aerator or into a decanter to experience the difference this can make for your tasting experience. Just by pouring the wine along the edge of the glass and then swirling the glass, you initiate the aeration process and can notice a difference in the wine's taste and aroma.
Carafe or wine aerator - different ways to aerate wine
The fastest way to aerate your wine is to use a vinluftare in connection with pouring. With the help of a wine aerator, you can aerate the wine as it flows into the glass, allowing the wine to blossom and reach its full potential in terms of flavor.
A wine aerator is easy to use and is either used as a separate filter between the bottle and the glass, or as an extension of the bottle that attaches directly to the bottle opening. When you pour the wine through the wine aerator, the right amount of oxygen is added and the flavors open up.
Another way to aerate your wine is through decanting. To decant wine, you pour the wine into a decanter, or vindekanter, and allows oxygen to be added to the wine to remove the bitter taste and let the full flavors and aromas come forward. A stylish wine decanter also highlights the wines' complex and beautiful colors and can be a nice detail for dinner or the wine tasting.
The wine determines the method
When you are going to aerate or decant your wine, it is important to consider that the method you choose, and thus the time it takes for the wine to aerate, largely depends on the wine in question.
Red wines almost always benefit from being aerated to reduce some of the astringency in the flavor. White wines that have been aged for a long time, or that have a high sulfur content, can also benefit greatly from being aerated.
For young and often cheaper wines, aeration can be of extra importance, as they need more oxygen for the aromas to emerge and allow the wine to mature faster. For full-bodied wines, a longer aeration of one or two hours is often needed.
Older wines may also need a bit longer aeration, but be careful not to aerate an overly mature wine as these may benefit from being poured directly into the glass to avoid oxidizing too quickly and thus losing their aromas.
Bag-in-box wines benefit from aeration before serving, as these wines are often young and contain more added sulfites. Even wines classified as natural wines or biodynamic wines can benefit from being aired before serving. Read more about natural wines in our guide here.
How to decant wine
When it comes to young wines that need to breathe, you don't have to worry about sediment and can pour the wine directly along the side of the decanter. You can do this just before serving, or a few hours in advance for a stronger effect. Swirl the decanter to speed up the process.
When it comes to older wines with sediment, there are a few steps you can follow to ensure a good result. Use a light source that you place near the bottle to clearly see the sediment.
- Let the bottle stand upright for a day to collect the sediment at the bottom.
- Open the bottle and check the taste and smell.
- Pour the wine along one side of the carafe.
- Stop pouring when you see that the sediment is starting to approach the bottle opening.