The Flavorful Reason You Should Pour Wine At A Distance

Many things can affect the flavor of wine even after it has been bottled and left the vineyard, including how you pour it. While funnels and other gadgets are sold to help with the aeration of wine, all that is really needed is to make sure the wine is aerated is to pour it into a glass. And for the best results, be sure to hold the bottle at a distance from the wine glass as you pour it. This technique allows for more air to blend with the wine to enhance its taste.

Simply grasp the bottle of wine in your dominant hand, tilt the bottle over the wine glass (without touching the glass) and allow the beautiful red or white wine to flow slowly into the glass. Take time to smell the wine before and after pouring it, noticing how the aroma is improved by the aeration. Then, enjoy each and every sip of your wine as it reaches its full flavor potential.

Aerating your wine is a step that should not be skipped when you want to enjoy any bottle. It all comes down to science. When air is allowed to touch wine, it starts the processes of oxidation, which allows the wine to open up, as experts put it, and develop its flavor. Aeration also causes certain less desirable compounds found in wine to evaporate. This includes sulfites and sulfides that can give wine the smell of burned wood and rotten eggs. This is important considering that, according to Wine Enthusiast, 70% of how wine is enjoyed is based on its aroma.

What's left behind after all this are the compounds that give wine the pleasurable flavors and aromas that make it so wonderful to sip. Of course, it's important to note that too much aeration can actually flatten the taste and smell of wine — which is why pouring it out at a distance is all you need to do to get the right result.