The hottest new toy among wine drinkers has become the Vinturi Wine Aerator.  What looks like a awkwardly designed wine sipping glass is actually a super-decanter made of acrylic with a hole in the bottom.  After reading the hundreds of unbelievably great reviews on Amazon.com, I had to take a look at the hype.

The idea about decanting wine is that when you introduce air into the wine itself as a liquid you are able to “open up” the flavors of the wine.  This makes the wine more palatable, flavorful, and easier to distinguish the many flavors that it holds.  In essence, decanting and the Vinturi Wine Aerator are mimicking the act of swirling wine around in the glass.

The physics behind the Vinturi Wine Aerator has a lot to do with a small puncture hole in the side of the device.  You can see it in the picture to the left. As wine is poured into the Vinturi it is greeted by a small exit hole pointing down.  With the aid of gravity it can flow, but air needs to go up first. So as gravity pushes the wine down the exit hole air is sucked into from the side hole and injects itself into the wine. 

The construction of the Vinturi also allows for a small seem or crack along the side of the air injection tube and the wine exit tube.  The cracks are normal and prevent the system from a clog in the suction, allowing for smooth operation.

The Vinturi also comes in 2 styles. One style for Red Wine, and another for White Wine.  The difference is that the White Wine Vinturi is somewhat thinner, allowing for less air to be introduced into the wine.  Red Wine needs more air.

Check out the Vinturi Wine Aerator on Amazon

Video Demonstration Using the Vinturi Wine Aerator

Good Example of the Sound the Vinturi Wine Aerator Makes When Pouring