How To Preserve Open Wine

How To Store Open Wine

Wondering how to store wine after opening? It’s a good question, because how long a wine is good after opening depends on the kind of wine and how its stored.

How to recork a wine bottle is the first question that usually comes to mind. As with all things wine, storing wine after opening has layers of nuance. Let’s “aerate” , or discuss, the possibilities so that we can get to the bottom of a bottle while it is still delicious.

Faqs About Store Wine Without A Cork

1. How long does wine last without a cork?

White wines with more acidity can last longer than those with lower acidity, while red wines with higher tannin can last for longer than those with lower tannin. You can use some of the solutions we outlined below, as well as storing them in the refrigerator or a mini fridge for a few extra days. In general, the following are the storage times for certain common wines in the refrigerator:

• 1-2 days for sparkling
• 3-5 days for white wine.
• Cover with dark foil and leave red wine for 3-6 days.
• 37 days for dessert wine
• 1-3 weeks at the port

2. How long does red wine last without open cork?

When wine reaches the customer, it usually has a predominant scent. It will gain a second and then even third scent over time. After 3-5 years of manufacture, most fully prepared wines are best served.

The manufacturing method and how you keep wine bottles determine how long it will last. White wine could be consumed one to two years after it has passed its expiration date, whereas red wine could be consumed 2 3 years after it has passed its expiration date. However, to be on the side of caution, use the tips below to see whether its still consumable.

3. Is it acceptable to keep wine at room temperature?

Although we normally serve wine at room temperature, it is not chilly enough to preserve and maintain wine for a lengthy period of time, particularly if the taste of the wines is a matter.

4. How do you determine the quality of a wine?

Transfer Wine To Smaller Container

A great way to save half a bottle of wine is to pour it into a 375 ml half bottle. Instead of exposing the remaining half a bottle to oxygen at the widest circumference, you expose only a tiny portion at the neck of the half bottle. In fact, to extend the life of the wine for several more days, make sure there is just a bit more than half the bottle left. Fill the 375 ml bottle to the very top. Yes, you’ll lose half an ounce or even a whole ounce, but you’ll preserve the rest of the wine much, much better. Worth it!

Also Check: Stella Rosa Keto

Should You Refrigerate Wine After Opening

You can keep any open bottle of wine and all kinds of wines in the fridge. Even red wines will fare better when kept in the fridge. Low tannin red wines will spoil quickly when kept after opening, but higher tannin wines will keep a bit longer, for up to five days.

When the wine bottle is opened, the argon gas is displaced and replaced with air, the wine is exposed to oxygen, which causes certain processes and oxidation which ultimately will turn the wine into vinegar. You can use a wine preservation system with a vacuum pump to reduce the amount of air in the bottle to keep the wine fresh.

In Keeping Your Open Wine Fresh: Remove The Oxygen

Oxidation happens when oxygen comes in contact with the wine, so the first thing to do is to try and limit this as much as possible.

There are a number of options here:

• You can simply pour the leftover wine into a smaller bottle . If you fill it to the top and cap it, you’ve just limited the amount of oxygen that come in contact with the wine. However, unless you always drink exactly half a bottle or have a wide array of bottle sizes, this isn’t really practical.
• Some people swear by those vacuum pump gizmos to remove oxygen from a bottle, but we’ve had very poor results with those and do not recommend them.
• An easier method is to just buy a spray bottle of argon gas. Because argon is denser than air, it displaces oxygen. By squirting some into the opened wine bottle and capping it you’ve basically created a protective barrier keeping oxygen away from the wine. A $10 spray bottle contains enough argon for at least a couple months under normal use.
• Finally, if you’re trying to keep a sparkling wine fresh , check out the Capabubbles.

Don’t Miss: Where Can I Buy Shaoxing Wine

Why Open Red Wine Goes Bad

Oxygen turns red wine into vinegar. Thus the key is to reduce the amount of oxygen touching the surface when storing open red wine. There are a few methods used to prolong shelf life, all based on minimizing exposure to oxygen either by replacing or removing the oxygen or reducing the surface area of the wine. With the necessary TLC, some red wines can be stored open for up to a week.

How Long Does It Take For Wine To Spoil

The speed at which a wine spoils can vary tremendously, from a single day to more than a month. Depending on what type of wine youre drinking and how its stored, there isnt a single answer. Below we have listed the most typical ranges for wines using basic storage practices: cork in the bottle and bottle in the fridge.

Read Also: How Many Carbs In Wine

Tips For Wine Storage At Home

Theres no need to invest in an expensive wine cellar if you only plan to age your wine for a few years to a decade. Here are a few easy rules to follow in order to successfully preserve your wine.

If your wine bottles have corks, store them horizontally together in white shelves. Putting wine on its side keeps the cork moist, which is effective for good storage because a dry cork can lead to drainage and oxidative stress. While keeping screw top bottles of wine on their surfaces isnt required, horizontal racking is an economical approach to store your wines for optimum space and ease of access.

2. Wine should be protected from vibration and light:

Keep your wine in the dark as much as possible, whether youre storing it for days, weeks, and even months. The flavors and fragrances of wine can be harmed by UV radiation from direct sunlight. Wines must also be kept away from any type of vibration, including your utility room, workout area, or entertainment system. Vibrations in the bottle can upset sediments, interrupting the sensitive process that allows wines to age well.

3. Keep Wine at the Correct Temperature:

4. Keep Wine at the Right Humidity:

5. Wine Bottles That Have Been Opened Should Be Stored Correctly:

6. Wine should be kept in a wine fridge rather than a regular refrigerator:

A wine refrigerator is a fantastic solution if you dont have a wine storage room that is continuously cool, moist, and dark.

Dont: Store Your Wine On Top Of Your Refrigerator

Although convenience is important, you have to also think about keeping the wines integrity intact. On top of your refrigerator may seem like the most logical place to keep your bottles , but it is one of the worst places in your home for 3 reasons. First of all, think of all the vibrations your fridge gives off when the compressor cycles on, when it cycles off, when the ice maker spits out ice, when youre using the water dispenser, etc., etc. Without getting too deep into chemistry, vibrations alter the processes happening in your wine, affecting the taste and aging process. Secondly, your refrigerator gives off heat. With a compressor and other internal components working hard to keep the interior cool, a significant amount of heat is given off. Have you ever felt the top of your refrigerator? Its warm. Lastly, the top of your refrigerator is probably very close to your light fixtures. This may not be the case for everyone, but if it is true, this definitely is not a good place for your wine to be. Light bulbs give off lots of heat and can prematurely age your wine.

Read Also: What Wine Has The Lowest Calories

The Best Wine Preserver

I know that some of you are thinking, I do not wish to purchase an expensive wine accessory just to preserve my wines. Well then, I have great news for you. Using inert gas is probably the cheapest method of preserving wine.

You do not need to buy a refrigerated inert gas dispenser! Theres a much simpler and inexpensive alternative. For only $12 USD, you can buy a can of Private Preserve the original inert gas preserver and get up to 120 uses per bottle. You can use this inert gas wine preserver not only to preserve wines but also to preserve ports, whiskeys, olive oil, and any other bottled product. This inert gas wine preserver is what I personally use because, in my opinion, it works better than the vacuum pump and has no harmful consequences.

I believe that the vacuum pump method preserves wine only temporarily. Sucking air out of an open bottle of wine and creating a vacuum seal should be good only for a day or two the air will eventually make its way back in. In contrast, Private Preserve lets me preserve wine for a long period of time. Some of my bottles have been open for months, but I have been able to successfully preserve them with inert gas.

The use of the vacuum pump method may also have an unintended and undesirable effect it is generally believed that repetitively sucking the air out of the same wine bottle will eventually suck out the bouquet and aromas of the wine in that bottle. There are no such issues if you use the inert gas wine preserver.

The Two Methods Of Wine Preservation

Have you ever succeeded in drinking an entire bottle of an older Sauterne in one sitting? Good for you, if you have. I myself havent been able to do that yet. As this is wine that I dont drink all that often, I naturally want to preserve whatevers left in the bottle. Like me, you also probably need a way to preserve wine you cant drink in one sitting. Otherwise, youll be wasting a lot of wines. The alternative drinking and enjoying wine only when you have company is not something true wine lovers would ever consider.

There are several wine accessories out there that can help you preserve an open wine bottle. The wine accessories or wine-saving products from Vacu Vin are probably the most commonly used. To use the vacuum wine saver, place the vacuum wine stopper in the opening of the wine bottle. This will pump out the air and create a vacuum inside the wine bottle, thereby halting the oxidation process or reducing the rate of oxidation.

There are also inert gas wine preservers. In this case, inert gas is pumped into the open wine bottle. The inert gas is heavier than air, so it successfully replaces the air inside the bottle and blankets the wine. After pumping the inert gas into the bottle, put the wine cork back on and you will be all set.

Read Also: How Many Carbs In Wine

Looking For Beginner Wines

Now that you know the answer to how long is white wine good after opening, youre probably wondering what wine you should try next. If you are new to wines, I recommend checking out this short guide to the best beginner wines. Youll learn the fundamentals of the most famous wine grapes like Chardonnay, Riesling, Merlot, and Pinot Noir.

After you have mastered beginner wines, you might decide to pick up a wine journal to keep track of your wine journey. In that case, preserving the wine bottle label can be a fun way to keep a souvenir. If that appeals to you, find out how to remove wine labels.

Tip 2 Make Wine Last Over A Week

If you ask some wine enthusiasts, how long is white wine good after opening? you might be surprised at the answer. It is possible to keep the wine in good condition for more than a week.

The solution is simple: use a Coravin wine system. This piece of wine technology involves using a neutral gas, typically argon, to preserve the wine. The process is simple. By adding neutral gas to the wine bottle, you drive out the oxygen from the bottle. As a result, exposure to oxygen will be cut to nearly zero. Your leftover wine will still be enjoyable even a few days later.

Recommended Reading: Where To Find Marsala Wine At Kroger

Wine Preservation System Buying Guide & Faq

Wine preservers are ingenious systems that keep wine tasting and smelling absolutely fresh, like the first day the bottle was opened. Its a unit practically every home that consumes wine regularly, would love to have. Below are some useful pointers that would help in ascertaining which product to buy.

How Can I Make Opened Wine Last Longer Without Tools

Yep, this last bullet point above on freezing can work, but only to a certain degree. To avoid disappointment when freezing wine, consider these points:

• Trial this with young, fruit-driven wines, especially those without new oak aging.
• Freeze wine for a few weeks or less for the best results.
• Use this technique with easy-going wines rather than the most complex wines, from which you will likely notice more deterioration in aromas and texture.

If you do freeze a wine and want to thaw it more quickly than just putting it in the fridge or on the counter, rotate the base of the bottle under a stream of tepid to lightly warm water for a minute or two to get it up to drinking temperature. Importantly, once defrosted, it will not refreeze well for drinking purposes.

There are a few other clever ways to make opened wine last longer without tools. Speaking of cooler temperatures, howlong can you keep an opened bottle of red wine? Cooler temperatures preserve wine, just like they do food, so always store your leftover red wine in the fridge, just as you would with a white or rosé.

Another option is to buy in the size format that makes the most sense for your usage. For example, if you are drinking just a bit, K-J bottles many of its Vintner’s Reserve wines in a half bottle format, which is 375 ml or about two and a half glasses of wine.

Don’t Miss: What Snacks Go Good With Wine

The Best Ways To Preserve Wine After Opening

Lockdown is the perfect time to work on improving your tasting skills. If you are opening more than one bottle at a time, how can you preserve your wines freshness for as long as possible?

Practising wine tasting without a study group is always challenging. Its also more expensive, as you cannot split the cost between you and then youre left with wine you understandably wouldnt want to waste.

From the moment you open the bottle, the clock is ticking, and your wine is beginning to lose its aromas and flavour characteristics.

Weve put together the best wine preservation tips to help you keep your wine at its best for a little bit longer.

The Basics Of Wine And Oxygen

Oxygen can be good and bad for a bottle of wine. Its all about how much and how long the wine is exposed to oxygen. When first opening a bottle of wine, we often hear that we should let the wine “breatheor take in oxygento enhance its aromas.

However, if wine is exposed to too much oxygen for too long, wine passes from peak performance to flat out “bad”. In fairness, “bad” is relative here. Wine that has been opened too long isn’t harmful to drink it just isn’t tasty. When wine goes bad or “turns”, it simply becomes vinegar. So, it might be worth keeping for cooking or even starting a vinegar mother, even if it’s no longer a desirable drink. If you sniff a wine and think it is fine, then sip it and grimace when it’s not. But don’t worry, as bad as it might taste, you won’t become ill.

So, can you drink old, opened wine? Yes! In fact, sometimes wine gets better after it’s been open for a while. My experience tells me that about 20% of the time, wines are better on Day 2 than on Day 1. Sometimes – maybe 10% of the time, wines are better on Day 3 than they were on Day 1 or 2.

Keeping open wine fresh means reducing the wine’s oxygen exposure and slowing down the wine’s oxidation reactions. As such, my experience above is for wines that are recorked and – usually – vacuumed with a VacuVin and returned to my refrigerator for whites, rosés and sweet wines and to my wine fridge for reds. So, let’s explore how to preserve open wine.

Read Also: Is Prosecco Keto

How To Determine If Your White Wine Has Gone Bad

The process is very straightforward and will go as follows:

Some of the smells that indicate your wine has gone bad include:

• Sour
• Vinegar

The following aromas are actually the product of cork taint, which does not develop after a bottle has been opened. They are wine faults that would be present immediately.

• Card-board taste
• Wet dog smell