葡萄酒爱好者有很多不同的方式来享受自己的那杯心头好。
Wine lovers have many different ways to enjoy their favourite glass of plonk.
有的人会换瓶醒酒，有的人会用口更大的杯子来喝，还有的人在喝之前会摇晃杯子。
Whether that's decanting the bottle, picking a wider cup to drink from, or swirling the glass before tasting.
不过，这些方法真的起作用吗？
However, do any of these things make a difference?
好吧，有一些的确比其他的有用。
Well, some work better than others.
不过我们还是进一步看看哪些是真、哪些是假吧：
But let's dive in with some fact or fiction:
酒杯的形状真的会影响酒的味道吗？
1. Does the shape of the glass affect the taste of the wine?
虽然这听起来完全像是编造的，但它其实是真的！
Although this sounds like something that's definitely made up, it's actually true!
纽约的品酒师曼迪·奥瑟就解释说：“酒杯的形状能帮助香气集中，这能让你更好地体验酒的味道。”
As Mandy Oser, a sommelier from New York City explains: "the style of glassware is helping to concentrate the aromas, which helps to enhance your experience of the wine."
由于人们常说的“酒的味道”通常其实是指香味，所以这的确是有道理的。
Because the 'flavours' that people talk about in wine are usually scents and not actual flavours, this actually kind of makes sense.
摇晃杯子或者让葡萄酒在嘴里震荡真的能让味道更强烈吗？
2. Does swirling and slurping your wine enhance the flavour?
这个和杯子的形状是差不多的。
This is the same kinda deal as the wine glass shape.
当你摇晃杯子或者让葡萄酒在嘴里震荡的时候，你会让更多的氧气混入酒中，所以这能让酒释放更多的香气，并制造出更独特的“风味”。
When you swirl or slurp your wine, you're introducing more oxygen into the wine, so it has the ability to release more of those aromas, creating more distinct 'flavours'.
人们真的尝得出那么多奇怪的酒味吗？
3. Can people actually taste all those weird wine flavours?
当人们喝葡萄酒的时候，真的能尝出那么多不同的味道吗？梅子？香草？橡木？香蕉？
When you drink a wine, can people REALLY taste all those different flavours – plums, vanilla, oak, banana?
这听起来似乎有点过头，但这是真的！
It all seems a bit much, but it's actually true!
你在品尝这些酒的时候能尝出这些味道，是因为你喝的酒和这些东西含有一些同样的分子。
The reason you can 'taste' or smell these flavours is because the wine they're drinking shares some of the same molecules with whatever they're smelling.
喝酒前需要醒酒吗？
4. Do you need to let your wine breathe before you drink it?
好吧，这个其实不怎么对——每个人都听说要让酒醒一醒，但显然，这并不是放之四海皆准的。
Well this one we thought would be a given – everyone's always told to let the wine breathe, but apparently, it's not really a one size fits all approach.
换瓶（醒酒法）在过去曾经很重要，因为那时候葡萄酒里有更多二氧化硫。
Decanting wine used to be much more important when wines had more sulphur dioxide in them.
二氧化硫可以转变为硫化物，可以充当防腐剂，但它会散发难闻的气味。
Sulphur dioxide would turn into sulphide, which can be used as a preservative, but gives an off smell.
不过，这种化合物已经不像以前一样那么常用了，所以，当你打开酒瓶的时候，你就已经可以尽情地喝了。
However, the compound is not used nearly as much as it used to be, so feel free to swig away at your wine as soon as you open the bottle!