aerator? decanter? wine, that is

[Dusty Chalk]

Found two threads, one on the other on interestingly enough. Why should I go one way or the other? I understand the value of a decanter -- lets the wine breathe, albeit in a controlled fashion, while cat hair and asbestos doesn't settle into it.

I seem to remember someone (tyrion?) getting something and having a positive opinion of it, but it's not coming up while searching for "aerator'. Something like a hand-held or bottletop device like this one.

So...any new opinions on this? I don't have room for that whole let it drip thing, but I could probably find room for a proper decanter/carafe thingy. But I'll probably go with the decanting pourer if no-one pipes up with something that doesn't involve scorpions or shovels or headless women.

[mikeymad]

I have seen the Venturi one at Costco recently.. I just thought of them as more of a gimmick. I have been decanting wines for many years, and always have seen the benefit of the wait time (sometimes hours). But after reading the Amazon reviews and looking at other sources, I may give it a try. I hardly do anything to my white wines (other than the aggressive glass swirl, and down it goes). It is not that much of an investment to give it a try (and Costco's return policy is really easy). I have tried the little bottle top kind, and it did not seem to make much difference to my palate.

Cheers,

Mikey

[Jon L]

I really like the Vinturi for what it does to the taste. Truly a ton of air is infused very quickly into the wine for people like me who don't have the patience to wait.

Just a caution, though. I've now had Three Vinturi devices, and the first one, the regular one, was fine function-wise. I then got the "Deluxe" version with the stand. The main pour devices actually are a little different, even in size. And the "Deluxe" one developed leaking, through the little side holes that are supposed to suck in air. It's easy to make a mess.

So I returned the Deluxe set for another Deluxe set, which leaks also. One *can* pour the wine at a certain constant speed, not too slow or fast, to avoid leaking..maybe.

Edited April 19, 2011 by Jon L

[Dusty Chalk]

Yeah, I also stumbled across the Nuance, may give that a try. Or maybe just an individual decanter. But I'm impatient, too.

[Currawong]

I might ask a friend of mine, who is a wine expert (and presently minding my decanters) about aerators. I know my father used to let red wines sit for a hours before serving them, so they might be good kit for the less patient.

My father's collection, all crystal (click for the flikr album):

Edited April 19, 2011 by Currawong

[shellylh]

Dusty, I use the Vinturi aerator all the time for reds. I think it does a good job when you don't have time to let the wine breath for an hour or longer. Also, I usually don't finish a bottle of wine in a night so it useful for me to keep it in the bottle so I can vacuum pump it until the next day.

[bhjazz]

All wines seem to have different oxidizing or wait times. To me, anyway. The Venturi can give a good boost to most pours and gets more air into the wine than swirling. You do need to pour straight and lift the bottle back straight. Pouring then turning the bottle to catch the drips will only pour a bunch out the airholes in the top (done that more than once.)

I like mine. I think the best test would be to decanter half the bottle. Vacuum/seal it. Wait 4 hours. Pour two glasses, one from decanter, one from Venturi. Taste. Different?

[Dreadhead]

Interesting?

http://www.wellesleywinepress.com/2008/11/long-awaited-blind-tasting-vinturi-vs.html

[Dusty Chalk]

Yeah, except I typically get home around 12:30 (actually, later most of the time, and much earlier every once in a while). So by the time I pour myself a glass, feed the kitties, do litter box, and any other meneal chores, it's only like 1 in the morning. I will want to: have drunk the wine, allow it to go through my system, and then take my meds before I go to bed. So I definitely do not have hours. Hence the interest in aerators. I mean, the best I can do is pour a glass before I go to work, put it up on the shelf (out of reach of the kitties), but then it will have breathed for 8+ hours (more likely 12-ish). Isn't that overdoing it? Or should I actually give that a try? Wish I had thought of that today.

[Dusty Chalk]

I'll give it a try then.