Dec 132012
A Review of The Vinamor and the Twist Adjustable Aerators
A wine aerator is used to introduce oxygen to the wine (usually red wine…but sometimes whites benefit, too). It is the same concept as decanting wine. The introduction of air helps the wine to “open up” so you taste the full range of flavors and aromatic bouquet while softening the sometimes astringent and bitter tannins found in red wines.
While there are many aerators on the market, some are more effective than others. A few years ago the Vinturi aerator became all the rage. It works by creating a venturi effect (think tornado) that introduces air as the wine is poured through the device into a glass or decanter. These have sold well and many wine lovers are familiar with the Vinturi.
For wine lovers looking for a new alternative… here are a couple of excellent choices.
The Vinamor – $24.95 (See how it works) – I first saw the Vinamor earlier this year on the ABC TV venture capital reality show, Shark Tank (See news report) where it was demonstrated by Colorado inventor Gary Dejon. The Vinamor, made from a single piece of tempered glass, has an attractive triangle design with a ball at the base that the wine flows over introducing air plus a screen for catching any sediment.
A couple of benefits of the Vinamor are that it is hands free, meaning it will sit securely in the top of most wine glasses. This allows the pourer more control over the bottle. The bulbous base can also be used as a pour-line for even pours…and it looks sexy! It is also dishwasher safer and very easy to clean
Does it work? You bet. It works very well and we now use the Vinamor quite often. Buy Here
Twist Adjustable Aerator – $40 (See how it works) – The Twist works on the same venturi principle discussed earlier…but with a “Twist.” The amount of air flow can be adjusted to simulate decanting from 1 to 6 hours. The torpedo shaped acrylic Twist has an easily adjusted silver metal band that regulates the amount of air introduced as the wine is poured through the device. The Twist can be used with a decanter or a single wine glass. It is easily cleaned by running water through the device.
Does it work? Yes, it works very well. We performed an experiment to confirm that the different Twist settings actually made a difference. Using a very full bodied Napa Valley Cabernet, we made a pour at each setting into separate glasses. The tasters (three of us) agreed there was a very notable difference as we tasted the samples. In our case we all liked the 2 or 3 hour setting but that is more a function of the wine than the Twist Aerator.
Full disclosure…. Both products were sent as free samples for review
