The wine lives , ages and evolves . Sometimes we are tempted to drink it too early, eager as we are to discover this sweet nectar. Or that it was relegated to the cellar for so long that it ended up being forgotten as it inexorably aged… A little too old. In one case it is enough to aerate the wine, but you still have to do it correctly. In the other case, I'm afraid the only solution is to turn to another beverage.
Explanations! The world of wine is evolving in such a way that we are tasting it younger and younger, after the harvest. Unfortunately, bottling prevents some flavors from developing. And yes, there are several phases in the life of a wine once in the bottle and they are not always beneficial to the beverage.
Once imprisoned, the wine will enter a phase of decline which may be more or less long. It will be followed by a recovery phase. We then speak of wine on the fruit, this is where the primary aromas are revealed. After which it closes again. To open one last time, letting the most complex and finest aromas of its composition burst forth. The wine is then at its peak. Finally, the definitive and irremediable decline begins.
For visuals, here is a small diagram of the life of wine:
When the aromas are withdrawn, we speak of closed wine . To recognize this you have to ask yourself if the wine lacks character , if it is flat. The eye and taste are then your allies. Aerating it will allow it to catch up on its development and remove unpleasant flavors. If you open a wine between two periods of ascension, aerating it will bring it into a phase of renewal and it will thus be able to develop the aromas which will make it better tasting.
The oxygen that surrounds us promotes the diffusion of aromas by accentuating their volatility. At the same time, new aromas are created upon contact with air.
From a scientific point of view, during alcohol fermentation, yeasts need oxygen to grow. After bottling, the yeasts no longer have access to a sufficient source of oxygen. The air supply is supplied and regulated by the bottle cap. It is said to be the nose of the wine, it allows it to breathe by allowing moderate contact between the wine and the air. Thus, opening the bottle and aerating the wine helps provide the oxygen that the wine has lacked until then!
Now you know why it is important to aerate your wine... and we'll come back very quickly to explain how to do it!