Transforming Wine Through Nature-Inspired Innovation (video) by Michael Fors

Transforming Wine Through Nature-Inspired Innovation (video)

Most wine enthusiasts can recall that first disappointing sip of red wine—harsh, astringent, almost off-putting. What many don’t realize is that the problem isn’t the wine itself, but rather the lack of proper aeration. Michael Fors, founder of Liquid Jazz, has dedicated his work to solving this common challenge through an innovative approach inspired by the natural world.

When Nature Meets Wine Science

Fors’s breakthrough moment came during a winter walk along the Gloucester shoreline. Observing waves crashing over rocks and water tumbling along a frozen riverbed, he recognized a pattern: water rolling over natural surfaces releases energy and aromas. This observation sparked a question—could the same principle transform how wine tastes?

The answer led to the creation of the Liquid Jazz decanter, a uniquely designed vessel featuring stepped ridges on its interior bottom. Unlike traditional decanters that simply hold wine, this design actively engages the liquid. By gently rocking the decanter for roughly four minutes, wine cascades over these peaks and valleys, dramatically increasing its exposure to oxygen.

Beyond Simple Swirling

Traditional wine wisdom suggests letting a bottle “breathe” after opening, but simply removing the cork does little. The narrow bottleneck limits air contact, leaving the wine’s potential locked inside. Even vigorous swirling in a standard glass has limitations.

The Liquid Jazz method addresses this through intentional movement. When wine flows over the decanter’s stepped surface, several chemical processes accelerate simultaneously. Harsh sulfite notes dissipate, aggressive tannins soften, and the sharp alcohol “burn” mellows—all while the actual alcohol content remains unchanged. What emerges is a smoother, more approachable wine that reveals layers of complexity previously hidden.

From Skeptics to Converts

Fors acknowledges that traditionalists in the wine industry sometimes resist innovation. Yet the proof arrives in the glass. Side-by-side tastings reveal dramatic differences: one pour straight from the bottle, the other after aeration. The contrast often converts skeptics immediately.

The innovation extends beyond wine. Liquid Jazz has developed glassware with internal ridges designed for spirits like bourbon and scotch. A quick 20-30-second rock in these glasses can transform a harsh spirit into something remarkably smooth, bringing out subtle notes of oak, vanilla, and caramel.

Practical Wisdom for Wine Lovers

For those ready to experiment, Fors recommends starting with a baseline test. Pour about 75% of a bottle into the decanter and rock gently for four minutes. For particularly young or bold wines, extend this to 15 minutes, tasting at intervals to identify the optimal point.

The beauty of this approach lies in its simplicity and reproducibility. Anyone can incorporate proper aeration into their wine ritual, transforming everyday bottles into something special.

Currently, the Liquid Jazz decanter retails at a special price of $99 (regularly $149) through liquidjazzexperience.com, making professional-quality wine preparation accessible to home enthusiasts.

Perhaps most importantly, Fors reminds us that great innovation often stems from mindful observation of our natural surroundings—a lesson that extends far beyond wine into how we approach creativity and problem-solving in everyday life.

Our Host

John is the Amazon bestselling author of Winning the Battle for Sales: Lessons on Closing Every Deal from the World’s Greatest Military Victories and Social Upheaval: How to Win at Social Selling. A globally acknowledged Sales & Marketing thought leader, speaker, and strategist, he has conducted over 1500 video interviews of thought leaders for Sales POP! online sales magazine & YouTube Channel and for audio podcast channels where Sales POP! is rated in the top 2% of most popular shows out of 3,320,580 podcasts globally, ranked by Listen Score. He is CSMO at Pipeliner CRM. In his spare time, John is an avid Martial Artist.

About Author

Michael Fors

Michael A. Fors didn’t set out to build a business; he set out to solve a problem at his own table. For more than two decades, he’s gathered friends for “wine night,” a Thursday ritual that has seen everything from two people sharing a bottle by the fire to fifty guests filling his yard with music, food, and conversation. Those nights brought joy, but also had a sticking point: red wines often tasted harsh when first opened, and waiting hours for a decanter was impractical when cars kept pulling into the driveway. The turning point came at the Gloucester shoreline, where Michael watched waves roll over rocks, breaking open the air with the scent of sea salt and seaweed. He imagined wine flowing the same way, over contours that would naturally open it. A prototype made with a local metalworker proved the idea right: wine softened in minutes. That sketch of an idea became Liquid Jazz, the first patented decanter designed to bring out a bottle’s best character in four minutes. Today, Michael speaks less as an inventor and more as a host. He shows how design can preserve the ceremony of wine without the wait, how a decanter can be as much an event piece at the table as a tool, and how traditions evolve when they’re shaped by the communities that keep them alive. In restaurants, Liquid Jazz helps sommeliers turn overlooked bottles into memorable features. At home, it sits on the bar like an art piece, ready to turn an ordinary evening into something worth lingering over.