Vinturi Essential Wine Aerator Reviews

• I'll be darned ... it works

  
  By A1RC8R9REPK830 on 2007-04-25
  I bought one of these on a whim when the product launched just before Christmas, 2006. It seemed like a perfect - if unnecessary - stocking stuffer for my wife, since we're both wine enthusiasts. I never really felt these "gimmick" aerators did much that a solid 1/2 hour decanting couldn't do. Boy was I wrong.
  
  The device itself is attractive, compact and solidly built. It appears to be a simple oblong plexiglass "funnel" with a rubber grip. There are two small channels in the center of the funnel, which look like "cracks" in the plastic (I've read product info that assures worried buyers these cracks are proper and unavoidable). Wine is poured through the top of the funnel, and immediately a suction sound is heard as the pouring draws air into the wine before it escapes out the bottom of the funnel. The aerator is easily held, and I've never had a problem with spills.
  
  Now on to the "effect" of the Vinturi. I've been using the Vinturi for 5 months now, on a variety of wines ... from a bottle of "Two Buck Chuck", to a nice '98 Vietti Barolo, to a bottle of 97' Phelps Insignia. In every circumstance, with every wine, I've noticed a significant improvement in the quality of the wine when poured through the Vinturi, as opposed to tasted directly from bottle. The flavours are more blended, the finish is less acidic, and frankly, it has made most of the wines I drink a more pleasurable experience, from sniff to swallow. I've conducted several "blind" tastings with friends, and we all agree - this thing works.
  
  If you're a serious wine drinker - or shopping for a wine drinker in your life - give this product a try. At $40, it's about the price of a decent California Cabernet, and will yield results for decades to come. I plan on picking up a few dozen this Christmas and giving them out as gifts to business clients.
  
  

• Blind taste test and the power of suggestion

  
  By A3H7AJ2MV28FPT on 2008-07-09
  Many of the reviewers here are claiming that the Vinturi works. Well, I was skeptical, yet I was curious enough to purchased one.
  
  I began by pouring an ounce or two of a red wine directly into the glass, not using the aerator, then tasting the wine. Then I'd pour more of the same wine through the Vinturi and taste again. In most cases I believed I could taste a difference between the non-aerated and aerated wine. For a week or two I was quite impressed with the Vinturi; yet deep inside I was wondering whether the power of suggestion was influencing my assessment.
  
  Then I came up with a great idea. I left the room and had my wife pour three glasses of red wine from the same bottle; two were poured without the aerator and one with the aerator. Once the bubbles from the aeration settled (30 seconds or so), my wife called me back into the room to perform the "blind tasting" to see if I could discern the wine which had been poured through the Vinturi.
  
  It turns out that the Vinturi really does work. I was able to pick which wine of the three was aerated. All skepticism has been removed as far as I'm concerned. I've recommended the Vinturi to several of my wine drinking friends and they likewise have confirmed the effectiveness of the Vinturi's aeration.
  
  There are two reasons why I don't give this product a five star rating. The first reason, as another reviewer has already noted, is that the wine must be carefully poured into the Vinturi at a specific rate. Pour too fast and the wine will overflow. Pour too slow and the Vinturi will run dry and won't aerate properly. It takes careful attention.
  
  Second, the Vinturi will continue to drip wine after each use. It does come with a handy little holder, which keeps the wine from running onto the table, but then the little holder needs to be washed after each use.
  
  These concerns are small matters in the overall perspective. It really comes down to the drinking experience. If you enjoy tasting good red wines then these blemishes are small compromises to make.
  
  
  

• ENHANCE YOUR WINE EXPERIENCE.

  
  By AN3D3M8MJ07BQ on 2008-02-05
  Saw this item advertised in a magazine just before the Christmas holidays and decided it would make a nice Christmas gift for my son-in-law and my husband (both avid red wine lovers). They were both suprised by the gift as well as full of praise for how well it performed.
  
  When we had the neighbors in for our holiday party, my husband was eager to demonstrate his new "toy". All the red wine drinkers were quick to admit how much using this device added to the aroma and flavor of the wine and wanted to know where they could purchase one.
  
  

• Great product that I first tried in Napa

  
  By A2HDUHRLIK6EN0 on 2007-11-21
  Let me start by saying that I am only an amateur wine aficionado. I purchased one of these at a winery in Napa and have not been able to put it down for the past four months (I even take it with me to restaurants). It works great for reds and is very easy to use and clean. I ordered a few more for Christmas gifts. It is the next must have for wine lovers.
  
  

• Never leave home without it!

  
  By A26V3CLCQN6LV7 on 2007-03-06
  At first I doubted it but my son wanted desperately to buy me a present for the holidays so I told him to go for it. It does everything it says it does and I use it by the glass or with a decanter.
  
  The first one was purchased online but now some wine shops in Florida are begining to carry them. Works with reds and whites, and immediately softens those tannis or acidity depending on the wine.
  
  One side effect is that it introduced so many tiny microscopic bubbles into a Chardonay I was drinking that it made it slighly cloudy. Normally this is bad but since I detest the acidity of a Chardonay it was a totally welcome relief and the wine was sooooo much better!
  
  HIGHLY RECOMMENDED - I have one in each car and one at home, I never drink wine without it and everyone who tries one - buys one!
  
  
• Very nice
  By AWA0F6SF6MO7M on 2008-01-16
  I am always skeptical of "hobby toys". These sorts of things generally sound nice as a gift. However, in reality, they either don't do anything in reality or are useless to the person with the hobby.
  
  This product really does what it says. It puts a lot of air into a glass of wine as you pour it. It does seem to instantly decant the glass of wine for you. It is easy to use, and almost as important, easy to clean. The rubber "holder" is invaluable, as the Vinturi will have some wine drips that you don't want spilled on your floor somewhere.
  
  Many wines improve with decanting. After 1 month, we have continued to use the Vinturi and prefer using it to both our decanter or going with no decanting. I recommend this product to others.
  
  
• Give Me My Glass Back
  By A2I819SUYU1X0G on 2008-01-14
  We were at Murrieta's Well in Livermore California and I saw one of these and asked what it was. The server poured us one glass with and one glass of the same wine without. I had the glass with and my wife had the glass without. Immediately noticed the aroma was much more open. My wife said it made the wine taste like a bowl of fruit instead of wine.
  
  The next winery we got them to use it and same thing. Then Then when we got home we experimented more with one and I have to admit it makes a difference.
  
  
• Amazing. I am impressed
  By A22K6QBE4B349W on 2007-10-14
  My Dad got me one of these for a gift, and he's been getting his other friends the Vinturi too. It's really amazing. You pour a swig of wine into the glass to taste. Then pour some through the Vinturi, and compare. The Vinturi-treated wine is sooo much smoother and refined. It's like decanting for a few hours, without any flavor loss. Truly amazing. I'm really enjoying it, especially so far with new world wines like the 2006 Marquis Philips Shiraz that I picked up at Costco. This is a gadget that really lives up to the hype. Wine geeks, cork dorks -- this one is for you!
  
  
• It really makes a taste difference!
  By A39UMIQYEP7TR0 on 2007-10-13
  A friend brought his Vinturi Essential Wine Aerator to dinner one night and we did side by side taste comparisons of wine that was poured straight from the bottle versus wine that was poured through this interesting little device. There was an impressively noticeable difference, the aerated wine was much smoother with a better overall taste. I have since bought one Vinturi Essential Wine Aerator for my family and another as a gift for wine-loving friends. I am no wine expert by any means, but this item performs as advertised, is sturdily made and easily cleaned. I am 100% satisfied with the product.
  
  
• Drink red wine faster
  By AEDATQAZMZW3E on 2008-01-07
  This little gadget is incredible and a must have for everyone who enjoys red wine. Open the bottle, pour through the Vinturi and enjoy perfectly aerated wine every time!
  
  
• This works- not a joke!!!!!
  By AKCLWA9FN83L on 2008-04-29
  I was recently able to try this item at a wine merchant (Maddinger in Kirkwood, MO). They used it on a Hawley zinfindel (not the white stuff- the real, dry, red stuff). You could taste the difference immediately. In a taste by taste comparison, after running through the Vinturi Wine Aerator, it was about like letting a bottle breathe for 45 minutes or so before drinking it. A great thing if you decide at the last minute to drink a red wine, especially a heavy red. Not only that, but it is pretty and makes a very entertaining slurpy noise as the wine is aerated. The noise, though short lived, is entertaining enough to be a party conversation starter or to even spice up a dull party.
  
  
• AWFUL, AWFUL AND MORE AWFUL
  By A7DQRVS3OTQSP on 2008-07-16
  Not only did we not receive this item, but we received numerous emails from this company including promises the item was shipped and then "delayed" as a result of flooding. After weeks of waiting, we finally got a note saying we wouldn't get the aerators ....with absolutely no explanation. And they even said it would be our responsibility to take the issue up with Amazon. What horrible, horrible treatment and service!!!!!!!!
  
  
• don't buy
  By A3NCD8A0PIQA7E on 2008-07-23
  Do not purchase from this company. After waiting 3 weeks for the item, I had to contact them as to status of shipment. They informed me to fill a claim because they could not honor purchase. Still waiting for claim to be resolved.
  
  
• terrible customer service, shame on you, Amazon
  By A3AR5TMKO7HD4F on 2008-07-26
  After repeated follow up, I was notified by the manufacturer that this product would NOT be shipped and should go to Amazon for a refund of my payment. A thorough search of the Amazon site, an email to both companies, and I still have been unable to get a refund. I did NOT receive the Vinturi and am completely discouraged with the whole process. I don't think I'll be back. Amazon you just lost a good customer and Vinturi, your cavalier attitude of customer service was uncalled for. Shame on both of you.
  
  
• Vinturi Wine Aerator
  By A3FGFNJP8ZJT74 on 2007-12-11
  Excellent value. Works as advertised. Well packaged with a carrying case and stand. Makes a great and novel gift for your red wine drinking friends.
  
  
• Really makes a difference
  By A1GN1GP9EG6EZ1 on 2008-02-05
  We purchased this for ourselves in December and for some wines that are closed it makes a nice difference. Our local wine store guru says he tries it on young wines that are highly rated but need more time - in some cases, lots more time - in the bottle and it makes them taste as luscious as they are bound to do sometime in the future, but we haven't broken open one of our "keeping wines" yet. Obviously, it's not going to make a $10 Rosemont Cab/Merlot blend taste like a Rubicon, but it does smooth out some of the harsher edges and open up the fruit. We take it with us to parties now because the slurping, sucking sound it makes as you pour through it is fun, AND it helps make everyday wines better!
  
  
• Dissapointed
  By A1TA6IL5TRD3WX on 2008-07-25
  I was looking forward to this item. I was told it shipped and when to expect it It never arrived. I gave it another week and still never received it. I am now trying to get my refund.
  
  
• Best way to drink red wine
  By A2BT2S46CSL0C0 on 2007-08-09
  This is the second one I have purchased, Amazon was less expensive. It puts air in the wine and you can use it at home or on the go, it has its own little carrying case. Everyone who used it was entertained and could definitely tell the difference in the wine.
  
  
• The Wine Aerator I never received.....
  By A3H7RMK1GNWU3K on 2008-04-21
  Now you might ask yourself why is he writing a review for a product he doesn't have. Technically I purchased this item because living in wine country in Germany I felt it would be a necessary addition to my home. Based on all the other reviews I would be right in assuming this. However, I never got this item. The US Mail system is to blame and Winning Gifts were and are some of the best Customer Service Personnel I have ever encountered so I wanted to write and in instill some much earned "kudos" on their exceptional customer satisfaction.
  
  
  I eventually got my money back because we never received our item but to my suprise today my wife and I received two boxes of their exquisite Truffels. We never asked for this and it is very nice that they sent us this to apologize apparently over the fact that we didn't get our order. THANK YOU! There are very few companies that take the time to be this thoughtful to send us a free gift.
  
  This is a company I would recommend to anyone to do business wth because Customer Satisfaction seems to be a priority to them and I will be reordering this item very soon as they have reconvinced me that they want to take care of their customers. Good Job Winning Gifts! You all deserve to be recognized for being a great business.
  
  
• Wine Aerator
  By A166NIA5CANRR8 on 2008-05-14
  This product does in fact work. It is a little clunky to use since if you pour too fast the wine comes over the top or out the aerator holes. However, I can clearly notice the difference especially in red wines when I use it versus not. There will always be a debate about aeration or not, but if you decide to, this may be better than putting the wine in a carafe.
  
  
• Simply Amazing
  By A3KAD0LYWGCDFX on 2008-06-28
  First of all I don't usually write reviews, but a great friend (who doesn't even drink wine) gave us one of these last night. Every person who drinks wine should own one of these (or at least share one with somebody). It is the best gadget ever.
  
  I'm skeptical about a lot of things, but having studied fluid dynamics the principles that drive this make so much sense. We compared glass after glass, and even those in our group who don't drink as much wine could tell instantly that this thing was gold. Instantly open flavors, bouquet, and even color.
  
  It comes with a cool little stand, a carrying bag, it looks nice, is easy to clean, and you really need to stop reading this and just get one (or a few, everyone's getting these for Christmas).
  
  
• Pleasant surprise
  By APGCRWPHX4PET on 2008-07-03
  I received this wine aerator as a gift at a corporate event last holiday season. My first reaction was "yeah, right" but my husband and I decided to try it anyway. We were skeptical, but it really seemed to improve the taste of the wine! We even went so far as to conduct a "blind taste test" to make sure we weren't imagining things, but it really does make a difference. I'm a believer.
  
  
• Don't Buy from the vendor
  By A2K4RT796BTIN6 on 2008-09-04
  Don't buy. The vendor never shipped the item yet charged my credit card. No response from Amazon when I asked them about the problem.
  
  Very disappointed with the vendor and especially Amazon.
  
  Marty
  
  
• Fantastic!!!
  By A2FG0R2FGTQFZ5 on 2007-12-26
  Works great! Makes "okay" wine much better and makes good wine great. The difference it makes is just unbelievable.
  
  
• gift
  By A17K5QJKRZPMHD on 2008-01-12
  bought for a gift and received one myself...great and had a friend order one after trying mine
  
  
• A Must Have for the Wine Lover
  By A3D4M27UX94MCH on 2008-01-22
  The Vinturi instantly decants a glass of wine and you will no longer have to wait or use a traditional decanter. It does exactly what is says...and is a must have for the wine lover. We use it all the time now. Check it out at Vinturi.com
  
  
• This product is the bomb
  By AJ1LZKZW079TK on 2008-04-11
  This gadget, which seems gimmicky at first glance, is simply amazing. I mean, any neophyte can a/b the difference between wine poured through it and wine served straight from the bottle; it's night and day - and improves even the lousiest wine you serve up. Amazing.
  
  
• Don't think. Just buy.
  By A1Z8RORUPL6TVD on 2008-07-05
  I'm a chef and a fairly big wine aficianado, but I'm not a wine snob, and like one of the other reviewers, not at all into "wine gadgets" either. It's all about what's in the bottle. Somehow, SOMEHOW, this fantastic little gizmo has flown under my radar for over a year. I saw the Vinturi used at a wine shop I recently visited on vacation, and was immediately sold after doing a before/after taste test on a big, young cabernet-shiraz blend. This aerator simply works, and it works wonders. I bought one without hesitation.
  
  For me, it's not just the time factor -- you save an hour or more easily by "decanting" your wine through the Vinturi -- but also the temperature factor. Red wine should properly be served at the cellar temperature, that is, somewhere in the 57-62°F range. If you pull a bottle of cabernet out, put it on the table and decant it traditionally for about 45-60 minutes, the wine isn't 58° any longer! So not only have you killed an hour of time, you've also elevated the temperature of your wine. The Vinturi aerator makes all of this unpleasantness a thing of the past.
  
  Like the title says, don't think, because yes, it's priced right at that magical threshold of pain for many people. $20-30 and this would be a no-brainer. $35-40 makes me pause and reflect. Yes, it's a bit of a steep price tag, but it's a one-time purchase, and it will improve every glass of wine you drink for years to come. Less effective glass/crystal aerating devices sell for 2-3 times this price, so I suppose it's not that bad. It works and it looks great, too. (It's made of clear acrylic and a black rubber/santoprene-type material -- dishwasher-safe, too, although a simple rinse under the tap suffices well enough for me.)
  
  The only thing I'm bitter about is that I didn't think of this and put it on the market -- I'd have made a fortune. :)
  
  
• Vinturi Wine aerator
  By A241NYNXQ3OYJW on 2008-07-17
  I purchased this at a wine tasting. I use it for Reds, Whites but most importantly a less expensive wine. Adding the oxygen to a less expensive wine whether red or white makes a HUGE difference in the taste, first impression, finish and aroma....I use it for all my wines and that would be my advise; use it for all wines. It makes a great wine that much better and a lesser wine into a much better wine.
  
  
• Vinturi Wine Aerator
  By ABU96IDPIGQ26 on 2008-08-26
  I saw this used in Napa on our last trip and wondered if it worked. When I got home I blind tested this Aerator with two different wines and with three different people. To my surprise, we all picked the best tasting wine that was used with the Aerator. I used an expensive wine 25+ and a bottle of two buck chuck. I picked out the wine that was used with the Areator everytime and so did the other two tasters. It really works. I even used it on some white wine, it gave it a different taste, I don't know if it was better, just different. For the price, you can not lose!
  
  

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