Some of the world's most celebrated Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays originate from the region of Burgundy, France or Bourgogne. The most prominent wine-growing regions of Burgundy are Chablis, Cote d'Or (Cote de Nuits and Cote de Beaune), Cote Chalonnaise, Maconnais, and Beaujolais.
Wines from Bordeaux are typically blended with Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. They are characteristically medium to full bodied wines with strong mineral and fruit notes. Because they are often high in tannins, they age beautifully and should be decanted or aerated before serving!
Acidity, one of the major components of wine, adds a puckering, sour flavor to a bottle of wine. An otherwise dull, lifeless bottle can be transformed to a balanced, crisp, and lively bottle with the right amount of acidity. Acid also helps to keep the wine from being spoiled and ensures a longer life span in your cellar.
Tannins are polyphenols that are naturally produced by plants and can be found in the stems, skins, and seeds of grapes as well as the oak barrels that wine may sit in. If you have sipped a cup of overstepped tea, that gripping, dry mouth feel are tannins at work.
You could pour your fine wine straight out of the bottle, but why waste the wine tasting experience? There are many undesirable compounds in wine that diminish as wine is exposed to oxygen. In short, aerating wine makes a huge difference in taste.
