I've been a wine connoisseur for several years, and was a partner in a wine bar over 10 years ago. I love the fine traditions and regional influences of wines around the world. One of the most basic steps in enjoying a good red wine is letting the wine breathe a bit. If you're fortunate enough to own a decanter or other vessel that exposes a large surface area to to the air, this can aid that process. But even with a good decanter it takes time. This device aerates the wine by using the force of gravity to draw air through side inlets and gently aerate the wine without foaming. The result is a wine that has opened up its full nose and broader body due to exposure to the oxygen in the air. Call it a "decanting tube", if you will.
The first thing I noticed is that this is packaged nicely. It would make a great little addition to a gift basket or would be ideal as a stocking stuffer. The aerator itself is quite substantial, which was surprising considering the product is listed as being made from an acrylic, but the grip around the lower half (silicon, perhaps?) ensures that you do not mishandle it. It comes with a stand, which doubles as a drip pan between uses. This is nice for nights at the dinner table as you pass around the bottle. A small screen fits in the top, which is a really nice feature, as it filters any sediment from the wine. This prevents any particulate from the bottom of the bottle from getting stuck in the unit or ending up in the bottom of your wine glass. I've had a few very nice French Bordeaux's that have been notorious for a little sediment in the bottom, so it is a welcome feature. It also comes with a velvet protective pouch, perfect for protecting the unit while it is stored with my other bar accessories in the drawer.
I pulled out a bottle of red table wine from a local winery. I've found that blends like this typically require more time to breathe and open up, so they are a good test for the aerator. I used two gla.....