What is aerator for
A wine aerator is one of the most essential tools you can own if you want to make your wine live up to its fullest potential. It would be such a shame to spend so much money on a bottle of wine and only get a hint of what its maker intended by drinking it right out of the bottle without aerating it first.
By using an aerator with your wine, you are accomplishing two things. You are adding oxygen, which causes oxidation, into the wine, which will then lead to evaporation. Now, this won’t cause your wine to evaporate, but will rather help to remove unwanted flavors that might make the wine taste stronger, such as sulfites, which are added to wine to prevent microbial activity.
Sulfites tend to smell like burnt matchsticks, so it is best to remove them through aeration. This process will also help to eliminate sulfides, which are naturally occurring. These compounds have a tendency to smell a bit like rotten eggs, so you definitely do not want them in your wine.
Basically, an aerator will help to remove any undesirable flavors and aromas from your wine, while bringing out and increasing the desirable, aromatic, and flavorful ones. If you want to get the best from your wine (in addition to storing it in a right place, for example, a wine cooler), an aerator is a great way to do it, even if you just get the best cheap wine aerator, like the VINABON Wine Aerator, you will be doing yourself a huge favor.
Features to consider while choosing a wine aerator
There are several different kinds of aerators on the market today, so it is a good idea to have an understanding of the features you need to look for to find the best model for your needs. In this section, we will go through everything you need to know to find the best wine aerator for you.
Type
The very first thing that you will want to decide upon is the type of aerator you want to use. There are several different types to choose from, which include the following:
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Decanter – Wine decanters are one of the more popular options for aerating because they can be used to put air into wine quickly or for longer periods of time. A decanter like the Menu Winebreather Carafe is a great option because it allows you to pour the wine into the decanter to aerate it. You can then put it back in the bottle and serve the wine, or you can keep it in the decanter and let it sit for a bit.
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Instant Decanter – As the name would suggest, an instant decanter will work instantly. Unlike a standard decanter where you have the option of putting the wine back into the bottle, and instant decanter is used to pour each glass of wine. Some models, like the Vinturi V1071, can also be used to filter out any sediments that might be lingering at the bottom of the bottle, making it a great option for older wines.
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Spout – A spout aerator fits over or into the bottle of wine you are drinking. They usually have an air chamber built-in so that the wine gets plenty of oxygen before moving into the glass you are pouring it into. These aerators are simple to use and make the process go extremely quickly, making them a great option for any occasion where you need a bottle of wine right away.
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Electric Pressure – Electric pressure aerators, like the BOUARTS Wine Aerator, utilize battery power to both dispense and aerate a bottle of wine. They seal onto the top of the bottle and pressurize the air to pull the wine through.
Capacity/which bottles it works with
Depending on the aerator that you select, you might be limited in the size of the bottle that you can use it with. If you get a decanter, for instance, you might be limited by the volume of liquid that the decanter can hold at any one time. The last thing that you want to do is purchase a bottle of wine and start pouring it into your decanter, only for it to overflow and waste your delicious drink.
Thankfully, most aerators will fit pretty much any bottle that you can find. This is especially true for in-bottle systems, like the Soireehome In-Bottle Wine Aerator. Since this model and others like it fit into the bottle of wine, there is no limit to the capacity they can handle. You simply install them and pour into your glasses of choice.
Materials used
When it comes to the materials being used to make an aerator, you want to make sure that you get something that is, obviously, food safe. You don’t want to use anything that is going to leave a nasty aftertaste in your wine. After all, the whole point of using an aerator is to make your wine taste better, not worse, so be careful of the materials you choose.
There are three main types of materials that manufacturers like to use when making an aerator. The most elegant and easiest to clean is glass. Glass, of course, is also the easiest to break as well, so you need to be careful with it.
Another fine option is plastic. While plastics are not quite as easy to clean as glass is, they are much more durable, and also cheaper to replace should one break.
The final option is food-grade silicone. Aerators that use this material are durable, easy to clean, and very effective. They might not have the elegant look you are going for, however, so keep this in mind before you make your final purchase.
Dimensions
The overall dimensions of the aerator you select should be based on two different criteria. The first of these is, where you plan to store your aerator. If you want to keep your aerator on the kitchen counter as an accent piece, that you can go for one that has larger dimensions. If, on the other hand, you want to keep it tucked away and out of sight, you should go for a smaller model, like the VINABON Wine Aerator.
The second effect the dimensions of your aerator, or more specifically, the air chamber, are going to have on your wine is just how much oxygen can be introduced to help remove unwanted flavors and aromas while promoting the desirable ones.
The larger the air chamber, the more air that can be introduced. If you are someone that likes to drink dense, bold red wines, then you will want to get a model with a large air chamber. On the other hand, if you are drinking older wines, you might want to limit the size of the air chamber, since too much oxygen could cause a delicate wine to go flat before you want it to do so.
Extra features
One of the first features that you should look for with any aerator, whether it be the best aerator for red wine, old wines, or new wines, is how securely it fits a bottle. As we mentioned before, you don’t want to spill any wine, no matter if it is a cheaper vintage or a more prestigious and expensive one, so be sure to find an aerator that fits well to avoid unnecessary waste.
Something else to keep a lookout for, especially if you are drinking older wines that tend to have a lot of sediment, is an aerator with a filter. That way, you can be sure that you are only drinking wine, and not anything left behind from the fermentation process.
Finally, the last key feature to keep on the lookout for is an aerator that is easy to clean. By keeping your new aerator clean, you will be able to ensure that your wine will taste its very best. Some models, like the Soireehome In-Bottle Wine Aerator, are completely dishwasher safe, which makes it a lot easier to make sure your aerator is nice and clean and ready for the next bottle.
How to pour wine right
Learning the proper techniques for pouring a bottle of wine will not only ensure that the wine tastes its best but will also impress your dinner guests. Depending on the wine and aerator that you have selected, you might need to follow a different process. Pouring a glass of red wine will be a bit different than a glass of white wine, so be sure to follow the steps below to get the best flavors possible from your bottle.
- Open the bottle of wine. Use a cloth napkin to wipe away any residue left behind by the cork at the top of the bottle.
- Attach your aerator if it is a model that fits into your bottle. If not, prepare your glass underneath the aerator so there won’t be any spills.
- If you are pouring white wine, wrap the bottle in a cloth napkin to make sure the warmth from your hand doesn’t dampen its chill.
- Bring the mouth of the bottle just above the rim of the glass or aerator and pour. Pour slowly to avoid spills, splashes, or too much oxidation from occurring.
- Only fill the glass about a third of the way up, so that it has even more room to aerate.
- When you finish pouring, twist the bottle away from the glass to avoid any spills. Use a cloth napkin to wipe away any wine on the outside of the bottle.
- If you are finished with the bottle, for now, remove the aerator and close the bottle.
- Enjoy your wine!
