The wine needs to be exposed to air in order to expose its full aroma and flavor. However, not all wines should be aerated. Corks tend to let a small amount of air escape over time, and naturally it makes more sense to aerate younger, bolder red wines, such as a 2012 Syrah.

Is aerated wine better?

Aerating the wine can help disperse some of the initial odor, making the wine smell better. Letting a bit of the alcohol evaporate allows you to smell the wine, not just the alcohol. Sulfites in wine also disperse when you let the wine breathe.

Are you supposed to let wine air out?

When letting the wine breathe, you can open a bottle and just let it sit for an hour. If you want to shorten that time, then you can pour it into a decanter to expose the wine to more air and surface. All wines benefit from letting them breathe.