How To Store Red Wine For Cooking
Even if you have a wine in the fridge that is beyond the age where it is something youd want to put in a wine glass, that doesnt mean you have to pour it out. A wine that has gone over the hill or has started turning into vinegar can still be cooked with.
If you have an unfinished red wine that is older than the 3-5 days recommended for drinking, it can be stored and used for another one to two weeks for cooking purposes since wine and vinegar are both integral ingredients in several dishes.
Here are some of the various ways you can use old wine in cooking:
- To make a vinegary pan sauce
- To marinate dried fruit for a compote or as a condiment
- To braise dark or fatty meats, especially game
Before using old wine for cooking, you should both smell and taste it to ensure that it is still edible. If the wine has developed an unpleasant smell or doesnt taste at least palatable , then it probably should be discarded.
One great way to save leftover wine for cooking is to freeze the wine in ice cube trays. These cubes of wine can be stored in the freezer and then added to sauces, soups, stews, and marinades as necessary to add rich and complex undertones of flavor.
A Final Word Of Advice
One last thing to add to your checklist: make sure to protect your wine from vibrations. Like light, any kind of prolonged jostling or regular shaking can lead to your wine aging before its time.
If youre serious about starting up a wine collection, you can look into a proper storage system, like a basic wine fridge. But in my honest opinion, most of us average wine drinkers dont need one. A dark, cool closet or cupboard kitted out with some racks and stays safe from major temperature swings will do just fine.
Follow these tips and youll never have to worry about your wine falling flat, whether youre opening a bottle for tonights casserole, next week, or a few years down the line.
How Do You Keep Wine Fresh After Opening
Refrigerate the Bottle
All wines, including reds, last longer if chilled once they are opened. Try to keep your open wine bottle out of light and store it below room temperature, says Hoel. The refrigerator is often the best place and can go a long way to keeping your wine fresh.
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How To Store Red Wine
- Almost all experts agree that the perfect temperature for ageing wine is 55 ° F .Red wine is usually stored and served at a slightly higher temperature compared to white wine.
- White winemay be stored and served at temperatures ranging from 45 to 55 °F while red wines are stored and served at 55 to 65° F
Freezing temperatures can cause the wine to expand and contract this can push the cork out and result in seepage of air into the bottle. If this happens, the wine spoils quickly.
High temperatures can cause a wine to age faster than desirable. Temperatures higher than 70° F can cook a wine and result in dull flavors and aromas.
Frequent and sudden temperature swings are not great for the wine chemistry either consistency is the name of the game!
/ Keep Your Wine In The Fridge
Because theyre usually best enjoyed chilled, putting opened white wines in the fridge feels instinctive. When it comes to red wine, because its characteristics are better expressed in warmer temperatures, any form of chilling might seem like a faux pas.
But you shouldnt be afraid of storing opened red wine in the fridge. Cooler temperatures slow down chemical processes, including oxidation. A re-closed bottle of red or white wine in the fridge can stay relatively fresh for up to five days.
Some light-bodied reds can actually be very enjoyable while served slightly chilled .
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How To Store Open Bottles Of Wine
- There are various methods for storing opened bottles of wine using a bottle stopper/vacuum pump is the most popular method.
- Vacuum pumps and stoppers aren’t that expensive and mean you can enjoy your favourite wine a day after you’ve opened it.
- We recommend that you don’t leave a wine open for more than 3 /4 days.
What do you do with your bottle of wine after only having a glass? This is often the case you have one or two glasses of wine, then the rest of the bottle is left. Therefore we have produced this guide to help you know the best way to keep your wine after it has been opened. You will never waste a single drop again!
How Should I Store And Age Wine
Hands up whos got a labyrinthine wine cellar with temperature-controlled conditions and a chrome-embellished Champagne fridge? Us neither. Luckily, those of us forced to store our best bottles in the cupboard under the stairs can still benefit from our top tips for storing wine, whether youve got a precious trove of treasures for ageing, or simply want to keep your anyday wines in great condition for spontaneous moments of wine-related joy.
Rosie Allen
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Find The Perfect Red Wine Storage Temperature
When it comes to wine storage, heat is your worst enemy. In reality, the best temperature to store red wine ranges between 45°F and 65°F. If youre striving for perfection, 55°F is often cited as the proper temperature to store red wine. However, this will largely depend on the type of red wine you are storing.
The best way to keep yourred winesfrom aging prematurely is to stay below 70°F. Any hotter and your wine gets cooked, flattening the aromas and flavors you know and love.
What Are The Styles Of Red Wine
Red grapes produce an amazing array of red wine types: from the boldest, heartiest big reds, to elegant and structured dry red wines, to sweet and simple picnic sippers. So much depends on where grapes are from and what the winemaker does with them, but the most important factor is the variety of the grape itself.
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What’s The Proper Way To Serve Red Wine
The proper way to serve red wine depends on the style of wine, but all of them should be served at least slightly chilled or at least around cellar temperature. For every still red wine, just put the bottle into the refrigerator for 20 minutes before serving, and it will be at the perfect temperature, which is around 57 degrees.
Since Pinot Noir is very aromatic, it’s served in a special Burgundy glass with a wide bowl to capture the beautiful bouquet. For sparkling red wines like Lambrusco and Brachetto, you can chill them down to 47 degrees, just like other sparkling wines. Serve those in a flute or a tall stemless glass to help the bubbles form.
Different Wines Respond To Different Temperatures
The reason that certain wines should be served at certain temperatures isn’t just a matter of preference. There’s a real science behind it. Wine Enthusiast explains that the wine’s “chemical composition” is the main determining factor behind the degree of chilled it should be.
Speaking with VinePair, Certified Sommelier Michael Kennedy also mentions 55 to 60 degrees as the ideal temperature for red wines. Kennedy explains that at this temperature, “the flavors will become focused, the alcohol will not be as evident, and the structure will be tighter.” Per VinePair, temperatures above this sweet spot make the wine’s alcohol flavor more prominent, and colder temperatures lead to “astringent” flavors coming from the wine’s tannins.
Wine Enthusiast explains the type of wine that should be served coldest is sparkling wine, as lower temperatures help retain the wine’s bubbly carbon dioxide content. Lifehacker notes that sparkling red wines should receive this same treatment not only will it make the drink taste better, but it’ll also lessen your chances of the bottle unpleasantly exploding.
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How Long Will Wine Last After Opening
If youre wondering how long wine can last after opening, a bottle of white or rosé wine should be able to keep going for at least two to three days in the fridge, if using a cork stopper. But it varies depending on the style involved. Some wine styles may last for up to five days after opening.
Do You Need To Refrigerate Wine After Opening
Because wine can be made in so many different ways, its impossible to give you a hard out on all wines. The best way to keep wine after youve opened it is to remember to recork it and put it in the fridge. By recorking and refrigerating, youre limiting the wines exposure to oxygen, heat, and light.
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/ Use A Wine Preservation System
If you dont mind paying, a professional wine preserver can help you keep your wine fresh for even longer. Although there are many gadgets and devices available, two wine preservation systems seem to be the most popular and effective.
Vacuum pumps suck the air out of an opened bottle so it can be re-sealed hermetically without the oxygen affecting the wine. This is an affordable option commonly used in restaurants and bars.
Vacu Vin is the best-known brand this company invented the vacuum pump wine preservation system. They promise up to two weeks extra life for an opened bottle of wine.
Inert wine gas preservation systems can keep your opened wine fresh for even longer, but this is usually more of an enthusiast option since they can be quite expensive. This system is based on inserting an inert gas usually argon – into the bottle. This gas, being heavier than oxygen, creates a protective layer on the surface of the wine.
The best-known brand is Coravin. This brand offers a device with a needle which punctures a hole in the cork to extract wine without pulling the cork out thus avoiding any contact with oxygen. The wine is then replaced with argon gas and the cork naturally re-seals as if the bottle had never been opened.
There is also an option for screwcap wines that, according to Coravin, can keep wine fresh for up three months.
Private Preserve promises that the wine will last for months and even years.
Wine Fridges Vs Kitchen Fridges
Wine fridges dont get as cold as kitchen fridges, but they do get cold enough to preserve red wine and prevent it from being damaged by heat. Other than oxidation, heat is the one factor that can seriously damage the flavor of a wine.
An advantage of wine coolers not getting as cold as regular fridges are that they prevent the bottles from freezing, which can potentially cause the wine bottles to crack. Wine fridges are usually smaller than a traditional fridge as well, which makes it easier to fit them into auxiliary rooms such as game rooms, garages, and bars.
Even if you only keep half a dozen or so wines on hand at a time, its worth keeping them in a wine fridge to extend their lives as long as possible.
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And Now For Your White Wines
What about the perfect white wine storage temperature? Storage and serving temperatures arent always the same. Thats why, while reds and whites areservedat different temperatures, 55°F is the perfect wine temperature for storage for both types of wine.
Wine storage temperature isnt an exact science. So, regardless if youre storing reds orwhites, dont sweat it too much if youre a few degrees above or below 55°F. Consistency, however, is more important than you might think. Well get to that in a second.
What Is The Best Way To Store A Bottle Of Red Wine
The best way to store a bottle of red wine at home is in a cool place, away from the light.
It is recommended that you store your wine in the fridge, in a dark and cool place. Wine can be stored on its side but try to keep it away from direct light as this will spoil it over time.
You can store red wine in a wine fridge , on a wine rack, or in a wine cellar. Which one is the best will depend on the type of wine.
In general, red wine is best served and stored at a temperature around 55 degrees Fahrenheit. If the wine is not stored at this temperature, the alcohol will evaporate and the taste of the wine will change.
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/03/2019 Prolong The Life Of Your Open Bottle By Following These Tips To Keep The Wine Glass Tasting Delicious And Fresh
Life is too short to drink bad wine- Johann Wolfgang
Nothing breaks a wine lovers heart than an awful glass of wine. When you have a wine you want to save for the next few days you just want to make sure that it retains the freshness and is still delicious. Below tips will make it easier to drink wine whenever your mood strikes.
Rules Of Storing Wine If You Dont Have A Wine Cellar
When a great wine is stored well, it can age into an even more interesting and more valuable drop. However, most of us are storing wine all wrong.
Most people keep wine in the kitchen but its the worst place in the house to store wine, because its one of the hottest and most well lit rooms in the house, with a constantly fluctuating temperature. Wine should be stored somewhere with a cool, even temperature. Even if youre not planning on ageing the wine for years, storing wine well means youll get the most out of your wine when you want to drink it.
Dont have a wine cellar or wine fridge, and have no idea how and where to store your wine? Here are the top rules for wine cellaring.
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Stash Your Wine Properly
If you dont have a wine cooler or temperature controlled storage space where you can stow your wine, a cool cupboard is a great way to make do. If your basement is free of dampness and mold, it can also serve as a makeshift wine cellar. Attics, hot garages, the top of your fridge or the cabinet above the washing machine are all off limits. In fact, dont keep your wine in the kitchen unless you do decide to invest in a wine fridge .
Store bottles on their sides. This keeps the liquid contents in contact with the cork and prevents the cork from drying out and letting in too much air which can lead to oxidation. And once a wine oxidizes, theres really nothing you can do to save it. Have a few bottles under screw cap? Then no worries, this rule doesnt apply and you can feel free to store them sideways, upright, whatever you see fit.
Tips On How To Store Open Red Wine
- Store your red wine bottles upright storing wine on its side means the surface area exposed to oxygen increases.
- Avoid storing red wine in the light, especially direct sunlight. Sun exposure can cause discolouration and flavour damage to the wine.
- Store open red wines in the fridge however, remember you should never chill unopened red wine too much.
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Red Wine Can Be Stored In Different Ways
Whether youre wanting to put away a fine wine for a special occasion twenty years in the future or just want to know how to store your table wine to prevent it from spoiling, red wine needs to be stored in a cool, humid place.
If you only buy red wine occasionally, you can probably get away with storing your wine in a kitchen fridge. However, if you want to keep wine at its optimal quality either for the short term or the long term, wine coolers are well worth the investment.
This article was reviewed for accuracy by Phoebe Fynn. Phoebe Flynn is a wine specialist and educator on a mission to make wine more fun and accessible. Phoebe passed her Court of Master Sommeliers Level One Exam last October and is currently preparing to sit her Level Two Exam this August. She believes wine is a lifelong study and vows to never stop learning. Follow her wine journey on Instagram @yourwinefriend.
Storing Wine To Drink Now
Of course by now we mean now-ish wine for drinking at the weekend, saving for a party in a few weeks time or your stash of anytime bottles. Basically anything youre likely to drink in the next six months . These bottles wont need quite as much TLC as your ageing wines but taking time to make sure your wine is happy will reap rewards with every delicious glassful, so keep them out of direct light and away from extreme temperatures.
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Store It At The Right Temperature
Of all the factors that can have a damaging effect on wine during storage, temperature fluctuation probably poses the biggest threat. Extremes of hot or cold are a sure fire way to spoil your wine.
In general, the ideal temperature for long-term wine storage is around 13ºC. But if youre storing mid to short-term youll be fine keeping them within a range of 7ºC to 18ºC.
Stability is key and if the temperature in your storage spot is in danger of rising above 20ºC then you could run into problems.
So you can probably rule out somewhere in your kitchen, and definitely anywhere close to radiators in the house.
Dark cupboards, often under the stairs if you have some, are a good option.
To locate the best spot, you might consider putting a thermometer in an area for a few days to test conditions, checking at different times of the day to see if theres a variance in temperature.
