Vintorio Wine Aerator Pourer Review

We purchased the Vintorio Wine Aerator Pourer so our reviewer could put it to the test in her kitchen. Keep reading for our full product review.

Whether you drink cheap, $6 bottles from your local Trader Joe’s or splurge on fancy, limited-production vintages—an aerator could potentially improve your wine. But, since it’s another tool to buy, store, and clean, we wanted to see if it was worth its keep before fully singing its praises. Below, our review of the Vintorio Wine Aerator Pourer—a $20 tool we hoped would transform our nightcaps. Read on for our verdict.  

Performance: Pours directly from bottle

We like wine, but we only drink it casually. The after-work drink or three; a nice glass out at dinner. But just because we aren’t wine experts doesn’t mean we aren’t interested in making our (sometimes cheap) bottle taste better, and after a little research, we discovered that a wine aerator can do just that. 

Aerators work by exposing your wine to oxygen, which then kicks off a process of oxidation and evaporation. Wine is made up of a whole lot of compounds and essentially, an aerator speeds up the process of eliminating volatile compounds while simultaneously highlighting a wine’s undertones, ensuring a smoother, more enhanced taste. 

The way the Vintorio Wine Aerator works is both simple and complicated. To put it simply, three holes on the sides of the spout draw in oxygen while you pour, infusing your wine with air. In more complicated terms, the Vintorio works via Bernoulli’s principle, which basically says that as the speed of liquid increases, the pressure on it decreases. Really, all you need to know is that aerators give your wine a good shot of oxygen. Important to note: aerators won’t work on all wines, but they won’t harm your wine, either. 

Wine aerators are known to work best with younger, complex reds with high tannins, so we tested the Vintorio with a bottle of Spanish red—specifically, a 2016 Rioja Tempranillo from Campo Viejo. The Vintorio works a little differently than other wine aerators we’ve used; rather than having to fumble with both hands to pour the wine and hold the aerator, the Vintorio inserts directly into the wine bottle, acting both as a stopper and wine aerator. 

We have to be honest—compared to other wine aerators we’ve used, this one looks awkward and feels slightly cheap, but it’s extremely easy to use. The Vintorio felt secure in the opening of the bottle and continued to as we poured. Though the rubber stopper is designed to create a drip-free seal (it worked for us) it may not work on bottles with larger necks.

When we poured our wine, it did produce some air bubbles, but not many. At first, we weren’t sure if it had worked, but in a taste test of aerated and non-aerated glasses, we did notice that it made our wine taste smoother and it cut down the bitterness of the aftertaste. 

Cleanup Process: Convenient as can be 

The Vintorio is only made up of two simple pieces: a spout and a tube. As such, cleaning the tool is as easy as running it under the faucet. This makes it a good aerator for parties, as well, as you can clean it before switching to a different bottle of wine. 

Price: One of the cheapest

With an MSRP of $20, the Vintorio Wine Aerator is on the very low end of the price scale. Premium aerators—which often come with a corresponding decanter—can cost up to $250. Given how easy the Vintorio is to use and clean, we think it’s well worth the money. 

Competition: Lots of budget/beginner options

Vinturi Wine Aerator: Despite having a similar name, the Vinturi Wine Aerator works quite differently than the Vintorio. Rather than inserting the wine aerator into the bottle, you hold the Vinturi over the top of your glass while you pour wine through it with the other hand. While we like that the Vinturi has a mesh sediment strainer and a fancier look, it’s about twice the price and requires more effort to use.  

Zazzol Wine Aerator: The $22 Zazzol Aerator operates just like the Vinturi; users must hold it over their wine glass and pour through it. While the aerator did enhance the flavor of our wine, we found the design a bit off-putting. The Zazzol is comprised of seven parts which have to be assembled and disassembled anytime you want to clean it. 

Aervana Essential Electric Wine Aerator: If you’re a serious wine drinker, check out the Aervana Essential Wine Aerator. The $60 tool affixes to the top of your wine bottle and acts as a spout. Rather than having to tip the bottle over to pour, the Aervana is outfitted with a button that releases wine with one touch. One thing to keep in mind: the Aervana is compatible with 750 mL bottles only.