White Wine Aeration
Is White Wine Aeration Necessary?
Master Sommelier Christopher Delalonde on White Wine Aeration;
“White wines, as well as reds, need exposure to air (aeration) to develop to their apex. Thus, just as you would wait for red wines to go through an evolutionary path when exposed to air, you should apply the same principle to white wines.
The most obvious white grape variety that will benefit from time, as well as the aeration process, is Chardonnay with its oaky, fleshy, rich and concentrated flavours.
Worldwide top producers and vineyards from the Burgundy region in France to Santa Barbara in California to the Yarra Valley in Australia and the Russian River Valley in Nelson New Zealand, to name but a few, produce excellent Chardonnay wines.
Personally, I also like to give the boost to Riesling or Grüner-Veltliner wines from the Wachau region of Austria. The “Smaragd” (top level) quality deserves to be aerated as they are very complex and robust wines with an oily and dense texture which greatly benefits from using the WineWeaver® wine aerator. The aeration process through the WineWeaver® results in the releasing of this tightly knit wine.
However, Marsanne and Roussane blended styles, like those found in the Southern part of the Rhone Valley in France and a top Chateauneuf-du-Pape white (an interest side note is that only 10% of the production is white wine) will also appreciate the benefits offered through the gentle efficient wine aeration process of the WineWeaver®. As the wine is poured through the WineWeaver® it is continuously broadening and releasing more layers of aromas: a real treat. You should try it for yourself.”
Christopher Delalonde
