How long to leave Wine Breathe

[skid11]

Ken,

The minute you uncork ( I imagine that's still going to be the terminology even with screwcaps? untwist maybe ?) a bottle of wine to a period of say 24 hours later, huge chemical reactions must occur as in this period it goes from great tasting to vinegar. So the Wine contacting the air starts this process. I know that decanting not only removes lees but also allows the wine to breathe and presumably "burn off" the trapped sulphides........... I am getting to the question, bare with me...............;-)

Maybe all wine would benefit from some sort of quick aeration process (like decanting) before drinking ?

What is the optimum time to allow a wine to breathe before consuming, normally for me it's the time required to pull the cork pour in the glass and drink, maybe that's why the second glass tastes better than the first?

Here's the question mate................ When you are judging wines is the time that the bottle has been opened come into play? If a wine can go from heaven to Vinegar in 24 hours there must be a point when it's at it's optimum and wine producers would want it judged within that period.

[Tave1225]

Most people let the bottle, or the decanter (if it was decanted) 30 minutes to an hour. Depending on the wine and the age on it you could let it sit for longer if you so choose. That should be enough time to allow it to "breathe" and release unwanted flavors. Mature claret and vintage ports are the main choices for decanting as they have the most sediment.

[anacostiakat]

As long as it takes me to pour it into a glass! :-)

[Colt45]

Skid, though your question is adressed to Ken, I'll put in my two bits. Generally

speaking, I'll leave a younger wine open for longer than an older wine.

Usually a minimum of an hour, but often two or three, depending on the wine.

I also like to pour at least a glass, if not two. This gives more area in the bottle

for air, as well as the surface area of the glasses.

For a truly fine aged wine, I'd not aerate as long. I also do my share of pour and

drink with "drinkers", but find that a little time always helps

[geoffrie]

I like my wine like my women, ready to pass out.

If you're leaving the wine in the bottle and just uncorking it - then its just for effect.

A wonderful study was done by some chemist/oenophiles a couple of years ago that showed the change in oxygen content was marginally detectable and then only in the top 1/2 inch of the bottle.

[Claudius]

» Skid, though your question is adressed to Ken, I'll put in my two bits.

» Generally

» speaking, I'll leave a younger wine open for longer than an older wine.

»

» Usually a minimum of an hour, but often two or three, depending on the

» wine.

» I also like to pour at least a glass, if not two. This gives more area in

» the bottle

» for air, as well as the surface area of the glasses.

»

» For a truly fine aged wine, I'd not aerate as long.

Agreed.

If you dont have enough time, you can get one of those Danish pourers that air the wine while you pour it; doesnt help that much, though...

[El Presidente]

Those 4 litre cask wines last weeks :-D

[Ken Gargett]

this really is one of those no right answer, personal preference things. 1,000s of opinions and each valid. should take almost all wine a lot longer than 24 hours to hit vinegar - will oxidise etc before that.

amazing how wine changes in the glass. did some kiwi pinots the other day. rated them out of the bottle and then again when drinking them with a mate. the one i had rated lowest can out tops second time with some time. had i not gone back, it would have copped the dud rating. that happens to us aall but little one can do. you can't do a line up of 300 wines and then come back 6 times.

try it with a few wines to find out what effect it has and if you and enjoying wines at one particular stage.

the boffins have said that simply pouring a wine gives it the equivalent airing of five hours breathing so every wine has a head start.

» Ken,

»

» The minute you uncork ( I imagine that's still going to be the terminology

» even with screwcaps? untwist maybe ?) a bottle of wine to a period of say

» 24 hours later, huge chemical reactions must occur as in this period it

» goes from great tasting to vinegar. So the Wine contacting the air starts

» this process. I know that decanting not only removes lees but also allows

» the wine to breathe and presumably "burn off" the trapped

» sulphides........... I am getting to the question, bare with

» me...............;-)

»

» Maybe all wine would benefit from some sort of quick aeration process

» (like decanting) before drinking ?

»

» What is the optimum time to allow a wine to breathe before consuming,

» normally for me it's the time required to pull the cork pour in the glass

» and drink, maybe that's why the second glass tastes better than the

» first?

»

» Here's the question mate................ When you are judging wines

» is the time that the bottle has been opened come into play? If a wine can

» go from heaven to Vinegar in 24 hours there must be a point when it's at

» it's optimum and wine producers would want it judged within that period.

[bassman]

If a wine is over 10 -15 years old, I'd start drinking it as soon as the cork is out. You can then chart it's progress with each glass. I've had old wines where the first glass was delicious, but by the second glass it had already begun to taste like vinniger.

[skid11]

Thanks Ken and Guys ( sorry for not getting back earlier but I've just got back from a short holiday up in the Bunya mountains with the wife and kids). It was interesting to read everyones thoughts and observations.:-)