You've been drinking wine wrong your whole life - 'frothing' will improve taste

21 October 2023 , 13:55

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Frothing your next glass of red wine will expand its subtle flavours (Stock Photo) (Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Whether you're such a wine connoisseur you're basically a sommelier or just enjoy a small glass of Merlot every now and again - this expert tip is for everyone. It promises to take your enjoyment of wine to the next level. You'd be forgiven, however, for thinking that, on the surface, frothing your wine sounds kind of strange, but it's actually just a more efficient way to let your wine breathe.

Allowing wine to breathe before you drink it is traditionally done using a decanter, but this requires giving the wine a little time to oxidise and also would generally be done when you're planning on drinking the entire bottle. If you just want to enjoy a glass or two, aerating the wine by using a handheld milk frother might actually be the better choice.

First things first, it's a good idea to let certain wines breathe, but not all of them. Mostly, you can start drinking a white wine or rosé straight away, but red wines can benefit from a little more attention and the amount of aeration they need varies depending on how full-bodied they are. Aerating certain wines with a frother will soften tannins and help the fruity flavours and undertones come to the surface for your enjoyment.

Light-bodied red wines like a Pinot Noir or a Grenache will generally need the least amount of aeration, while a Merlot, Tempranillo or other medium bodied red wine a little bit more. Full-bodied wines like Cabernet Sauvignon will need the most, so you will likely get the best results if you froth the wine for a little bit longer.

The experts from wineexpress.com explain exactly how to successfully use a small milk frother - one that you hold in your hand, rather than the kind that heats your milk simultaneously - to aerate your wine in a video on their blog. Josh, from the company, explains that if "you only want a glass [and] you're going to save the rest for later" then decanting the bottle can be a mistake.

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Instead, grab the handheld milk frother you'd usually use to make a cappuccino, which can also double up as "a really great breather for your red wine". The trick is incredibly simple: "you just put in there and let it spin" until there is a good amount of froth visible in your glass.

"The wine gets thoroughly aerated and a little bit foamy, but the foam goes down eventually," explains Josh. "What you get immediately is the nose really opens up, but when you taste it you get that nice soft, supple flavours that aeration gives to it."

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Emma Mackenzie