Yes, and it’s tragic. Over-aeration kills the fruit and makes wine taste like cardboard and bitterness. If you’ve ever left a bottle open overnight and found it flat the next day, you’ve seen this happen. Reds that are delicate (Pinot Noir, older Barolos) need gentle treatment.
Here’s the golden rule: taste as you go. Take a sip immediately after opening. Then taste again after five minutes, then ten. When the wine feels softer and smells more aromatic, stop aerating. You just hit the sweet spot.
