Rogue Sommelier

Let the wine breathe! Give the wine some air! Give the wine some room! Get the wine a glass of water!...

What the flip are they talking about? The term "Letting the wine breathe" may conjure humorous images of bottles gasping for air, but it is a serious concept in the total enjoyment and experience of wine. I used to be a "crack it and drink it" kind of guy... so does letting wine breathe make a difference? A silly thought when your early wine experiences were Boones Farm and Mad Dog. Taste Buds mature and so did I.

Key Tip:   Storing Wine = Air is BAD.   Serving Wine = Air is GOOD.

Wine drinkers spend a lot of effort trying to keep air away from their wines while in the bottle.So what the heck is with trying to get air into the wine before serving? I could bore you with a bunch of mumbo jumbo about what happens within the wine as it is breathing, but that would be... boring. What really matters is "Does it make a difference?" That is a definite YES! Not all wines need to breathe, but many reds can benefit from a bit of time in the glass or decanter. Doubt Me? Try it yourself. Pour a fresh glass of glass of red and taste it, and then come back to it twenty minutes later. You will notice a difference.

How long should wine breathe? I like 20-30 Minutes before drinking... It's a safe number. Note: Some wines are unsaveable... Let them breathe, shock them, put them on life support. Some wines aren't meant for breathing... or drinking!