To Air Is Divine

Winemakers spend most of their time doing two things: sanitizing equipment to avoid infestation by unwanted microorganisms and keeping air away from their wine. The truth is, a little bit of air makes wine mature and mellow after it is bottled, but a lot of air can trigger spoilage and oxidize the wine.

And it's that "little bit of air" that I am interested in telling you about because it can have a profound effect on your enjoyment of a bottle of well made, but young, wine.

Most wineries are unable, financially, to hold their wines in storage and release them only when they are fully bottle aged and at their peak of perfection. And the smaller wineries, the ones that are producing high quality red wines are the ones that can least afford to hold onto their inventory before releasing it. So, my friend, that $32 bottle of recent vintage Cabernet Sauvignon you bought for your anniversary dinner may be excellent in its quality, but there is a good chance it will be much more ready to drink 8-12 months from now. If you taste it and the words "tight" and "astringent" seem to apply more than "open" and "smooth". Here is what you need to do:

If you have a wine decanter, wash it out. If you find yourself decanterless, use a very clean flower vase or other similar container. Take your bottle of wine and upend it into the container, making sure it splashes and foams. Get air into it. Then leave the red wine alone for several minutes, perhaps while you have your first course, which will likely take a white wine.

When you re-taste your young cabernet, you should find it much more approachable and drinkable with rounder edges. In effect, you have aged the wine in the decanter by adding air to the wine allowing it not only to breathe, but also to gulp in great quantities of oxygen.

This article was inspired by my close friend Martin Unversaw who, while only slightly into his cups, mentioned the title while discussing wine at dinner under my fig tree.


About the Author

Paul Kreider, who made his first wine in 1975, is the owner and winemaker of the Ross Valley Winery in San Anselmo, California. Since 1987, with notable success, his small Marin County bonded winery has specialized in transforming modest lots of unique grapes into vineyard-designated wines, each with its own individual character and particular personality. Check our website at www.rossvalleywinery.com.