Both red and white wines can benefit from giving them a swirl in the glass. Swirling aerates the wine, releasing aromatic elements (esters and aldehydes, scientifically speaking). This introduces oxygen to the wine, but you won’t risk oxidation unless you swirl nonstop. Oxidized wines, which have had too much exposure to air, take on a brownish tinge and stale, nutty, bruised-apple notes. How much oxygen is good? And how much is bad? Well, that depends on the wine and how it tasted once it was opened, so swirl to taste.
