The Ultimate Guide to Decanting & Aerating Kosher Wine

By Gregory Aubrey

I often get asked by friends and family about when to decant or aerate wine prior to serving it. While most wines are great to drink right out of the bottle and won’t require much work other than pop, pour and drink, there are certain instances where decanting and aerating wine is not only preferred but highly recommended. Of course, everyone has their own preferred methods of enjoying their wine, but for now let’s dive into the details and reasons of why and when one should decant and aerate wine, and the proper way to go about doing so.

Why Do We Decant Wine?

Simply put, we decant wine for two purposes: to help prevent sediments that form in the bottle over time from entering the glass, and to let the wine breathe and oxidize, allowing the tannins to soften and the wine’s full flavors and aromas to shine and stand out both on the nose and palate.

Certain factors like age and post-fermentation processes contribute to sediments, so make sure to bring out that fancy glass vessel - or decanter - when serving them (see below for different kinds of decanters).

When Do We Decant Wine?

Although we tend to decant older and unfiltered red wines to prevent sediments from spilling into the glass, decanting can be beneficial for almost all red wines to improve the wine’s overall quality and taste, especially if the tannins (that slightly bitter and dry sensation that makes your lips stick to your teeth) are more pronounced.

While each varietal and wine is different, decanting younger and full-bodied red wines will help soften tannins and improve the way your wine drinks. If the wine seems too tight/closed or lacking excitement on the nose and palate, aerating it and giving it air will help. For older wines, carefully decant up to 120 minutes depending on the nature of the wine, in order to ensure that the wine doesn’t get too oxidized.

* Graphics from WineFolly.com (an amazing wine resource!)

How Do We Decant Wine to Aerate It?

As explained above, if you’re simply looking to get the most out of the wine by letting it breathe or open up, the process is super easy. Simply pour the wine into a decanter and let it rest - anywhere from 30 minutes to several hours (depending on the wine). This will definitely help in releasing more of the fruit, floral, and earthy aromas from the wine.

* Graphics from WineFolly.com (an amazing wine resource!)

The bottom line: all wines will benefit one way or another from some decanting and aerating. After all, don’t we all want to experience more aromas and flavors when drinking wine? Read below to check out an awesome alternative to decanters.

The Aervana Select - An Adjustable Wine Aerator

In case you couldn’t tell, we love everything wine-related, and that also means wine gadgets. As we talk about the process of decanting and aerating wine, we recently tried this incredible aerating method from Aervana - the Aervana Select wine aeration device - and we’re totally hooked and impressed. While you won’t be able to use it on Shabbos as it’s battery-operated, the purchase is totally worth it to use on any other day. Read on for the experiment results.

Unlike traditional wine decanters that require time for wine to reach its desired flavor and tannin structure, the Aervana Select - at the touch of a button and the turn of a dial - instantly decants wine based on your drinking preference and the type of wine you’re pouring, bringing out the best flavors and aromas of the wine while smoothing out any harsh tannins. This seamless innovation is a dream come true for wine lovers, enabling you to control exactly how much or how little you’d like to decant your wine for, and doing so in the easiest, coolest and innovative way possible.

With just the turn of a dial, the easy-to-use, push-button technology of the Aervana Select allows you to choose exactly your desired amount of aeration for the wine you’re serving. Ranging from zero aeration to the equivalent of three hours in a decanter, it provides a spectrum strong enough to properly aerate the majority of varietals and styles in seconds.

The Experiment

We put the Aervana Select to the test to see what the hype was all about, and it’s definitely real! Using the Jezreel Single Valley Carignan 2014, we poured two glasses: one with Aervana and the other without any aeration - and the results were mindblowing. Here’s what we noticed:

Compared to the wine that wasn’t aerated, the aromatics with the Aervana Select were much stronger and more vibrant. More pronounced fruit, earthy characteristics, and an intense flavor profile that was more developed, as well as softer tannins and an overall more pleasing experience than without the Aervana.

The final verdict: we’ll be using it again (and again!). It’s an amazing device that any wine lover should consider buying as it will, without a doubt, make the whole experience and pleasure of drinking wine that much better and more fun!

Enjoy 20% off this incredible wine gadget from Aervana today with code KOSHERWINE at checkout!

Last But Not Least

Everyone’s palate and ways of enjoying wine is different, but if there’s one thing we can all agree on is that wine is meant to be enjoyed and shared with people we love. More importantly, wine makes any event - whether big or small - more fun and special, and is full of health benefits (you didn’t hear it from us)!

Want to know more about decanting and aerating wine or just curious about wine in general? Contact our Wine Consultant Brad for questions and more information.

Remember to check out other fun and interesting facts about wine on The Kosher Cork Blog!

L'Chaim!