If you know anything at all about wine, you'll probably have heard of a wine breather. What do they do though? Well they live up to their name and help your wine breathe. The whole idea of this is to make sure that your wine tastes just as good as it was intended to. If you pour it out straight into the glass and don't aerate it along the way, you may like the taste but you won't be getting the full experience.

So a wine aerator or breather is essential if you want your wine to taste great? Well you don't have to use a breather, but if you do you will wonder why you hadn't started using one sooner! This might sound overly dramatic and a little unbelievable, but once you have tried your wine breather for the first time you will see how different a particular wine can taste.

If you're not convinced, see if you can borrow one from someone to give it a go. Then you will definitely be looking online to buy one of your own.

Does it work with all kinds of wines?

Yes it does, although you will always get the best results if you use it with a red. This is because red wines tend to be fuller and more complex than whites. White wine is naturally lighter, although you will still notice a pleasant difference if you use an aerator with your favorite white wine. Red wine lovers will probably get the most out of a good aerator or breather though.

What are the best models of wine breather to get?

There are lots of different ones on the market so it's understandable if you are wondering which one to get. The two best designs and market leaders are the Wine Weaver and the Vinturi. Take a look at them both, compare pricing and see which one appeals. They basically both do the same kind of job, so a lot will depend on which one you like the look of more. The Wine Weaver however is a more professional design, as it was created originally for the restaurant market. It was very well received and now many regular homes have a Wine Weaver to use whenever a glass of wine is required! The Vinturi is also a good bet if you want a practical and attractive wine aerator.

This could be a good gift too, couldn't it?

Definitely. If you know someone who loves their wine - particularly those full bodied reds - you'll be able to treat them to a superb gift if you opt for a wine breather. They'll probably ask what they do and you'll be able to show them - especially if you treat them to a nice bottle of red wine at the same time. There's nothing better than a proper demonstration and a sip of a sensational bottle of wine, made even better by the fact that you're using a wine breather.