Why Does Wine Need To Air?

A not too technical explanation on airing wine

What happens when you expose wine to oxygen, and why does wine need to air? Is it really necessary or is it just another snob thing? Unfortunately there isn't an answer good for all occasions. For some wines it's essential, while for others it's superfluous. So here's a not too technical explanation. Alternatively if ever in Italy you may like to take a wine class with me at Monterinaldi winery. More info on my tours here, and the Monterinaldi estate here.

Decanted Super Tuscan wine from Monterinaldi

What happens when air & wine Interact?

When our precious liquid comes into contact with air, two processes take place. Namely: evaporation and oxidation. These processes improve the quality of wine by changing its chemistry.

Evaporation

When wine evaporates elements known as  volatile compounds will instantly leave the liquid.  Two of these compounds are undesirable, so the sooner they leave the better. They are Ethanol and Sulfites. Ethanol has a medicinal odor, and Sulfites which are used as a preserve smell like burning matches. While present they will tend to cover the other more pleasing odors. Fortunately it doesn't take long for them do dissipate.

Oxidation

Oxidation is the same process that causes cut apples to turn brown and iron to rust. In simple terms the wine is breaking down. It's the very process of breaking down which is responsible for releasing the pleasant aromas which reach our nose and taste buds. Of course, over a number of days the oxidation process will make the wine very unpleasant to drink, but initially it's the exact opposite.

Do all wines need to air?

No they don't. Generally speaking whites and roses don't benefit from aeration because they don't contain the high levels of pigment molecules found in red wines. It's these pigments that change flavor in response to oxidation. Also cheaper red wines tend not to improve either. In fact, oxidation may make them taste flat after half an hour and bad after an hour! This because they're not made entirely with grape juice, and consequently don't have the same number of fruit derived molecules as a quality wine.

Methods of aerating wine

The best methods are the bottle or the decanter. Well there's also the glass, but this is the last stage. Aerators are a waste of time, because the air to wine contact is s split second which is way too short.

The bottle: The surface area of the neck is very limited. Consequently aerating will need a considerably longer time. Two/three hours for a young wine, and up to eight hours for an aged and structured product. The bottle should be left without the cork.

The decanter: Most definitely the best way is the decanter. The decanter will allow the wine to be exposed over a large surface area. Here a half hour to an hour is usually sufficient

The glass: If you don't have decanter, you can pour the wine back and forth between two containers or simply swirl the wine in your glass before drinking it. Actually a very brief swirl before every sip is something I always do. Just a couple of spins, no more.

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Happy drinking!