1Aerated vs. Oxidized

Reading through some of the reviews on the Geyser Peak Sauvignon Blanc here, and I feel compelled to point something out.

Aerated, is a word with good connotations, meaning the wine has been allowed to combine with air in the glass or decanter. Aeration should have little to no impact on the color of a wine, and is recommended for most young tannic red wines and older wines which have been cellared for long periods.

Oxidation, on the other hand, means that the wine was exposed to air at somepoint before the wine was served, either in the vignerons cellar, or in the bottle. Usually this is a perjorative term for most dry reds and whites, and indicates a faulty bottle seal or sloppy winemaking, depending on whether the fault is present in just one sample, or the entire production. This is usually the cause of some white wines developing a very deep gold color, usually associated with an unpleasant funkiness or overly reductive notes on the nose.

In certain wines, like Madiera, some Spanish Sherry, Maury, and Colheita oxidation can be a positive quality and is intentionally encouraged by the bottller, and therefore is not a fault in the wine.