Tuesday, April 17, 2007

Is it necessary to breathe?

If we're talking oxygen for the lungs then, yes. If we're talking oxygen for the wine, probably not. It is interesting to me that some people insist that breathing a wine makes it taste better, whereas others insist it makes no difference. Kevin Zraly, author, and winner of the 2006 Wine Literary Award, states the following in his fascinating book "Windows On The World Complete Wine Course" 2007 Edition (my latest educational fancy):

"One thing for sure is that very old wine (more than twenty-five years) should be opened and consumed immediately. One of the most interesting wine experiences I ever had was in the late seventies, and involved a bottle of a 1945 Burgundy. When I opened the wine, the room filled with the smell of great wine. The first taste of the wine was magnificent. Unfortunately, fifteen minutes after opening the bottle, everything about the wine changed, especially the taste. The wine started losing its fruit, and the acidity overpowered the fruit."

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