Learn March 20th,2023
Sometimes, leftover wine happens. Knowing how to properly store the open bottle is crucial if you want to maintain the wine’s flavour and characteristics.
Oxidation is the main cause for concern with open bottles. Unopened bottles of wine don’t change much because the closure will prevent oxygen from reacting with the contents.
Once the bottle is opened, oxygen starts to affect the wine, allowing the wine to properly release its scent and flavour. However, this process will continue as long as the wine is exposed to the air, meaning the oxidation will go on until the wine’s flavour becomes spoiled.
Luckily, there are several wine preservation methods we can use to maintain the wine’s features as much as possible. Here is a brief summary of the main wine preservation techniques and what they entail.
When we uncork a bottle of wine, the cork tends to expand, and many people seem to find it easier to use the end of the cork that was previously facing the air to close the bottle. Needless to say, professionals don’t like doing this, mostly due to the fact the external face of the cork might have been exposed to many contaminating factors you don’t want to have in your wine.
For this reason, it’s recommended putting the end of the cork that was in the bottle back in it when you want to properly store the wine left inside.
Before the invention of wine storing tools, people used to store open bottles of wine in underground cellars using spare bottles. More specifically, the traditional method consists in pouring the remaining wine in a smaller bottle so as to minimise the amount of oxygen that gets in contact with the wine.
This technique is still used in some European wineries and the method allows the beverage to stay fresh for two to three days, however, as you pour the beverage in a different bottle, you do expose it to some oxygen.
In order for a wine preservation method to work, we need to have the right tools available. Keep on reading to find a description of the most common wine preservation tools you can find on the market.
Storing wine using a vacuum pump is probably the most common method. The pump works by extracting air from the open bottle, therefore allowing the beverage to maintain its original scent and flavour for a longer span of time.
This technique is very affordable however, some people complain that some of the wine’s aromas are also extracted along with the oxygen.
This technique is highly effective, and it consists in spraying inert gas into the open wine bottle in order to create a barrier layer of gas that protects the wine from the oxidation. Afterwards, all you need to do is insert a cork and store the bottle upright.
The inert gas storing method allows the wine to maintain its flavour up to five days and the cans of gas are relatively cheap.
Use a hermetic cork or something like a vacuum pump to store the open bottle for up to 4 or 5 days.
It’s better to use the Inert Gas Method if the wine has complex aromas and flavours combinations.
Make sure to keep the bottle in a cool environment without direct exposure to sunlight.
If the temperature in the room is not cool enough, then store it in the fridge.
Since they don’t have the antioxidant effect from tannins, white and rosé wines oxidise much faster than red wine, therefore you’ll need to cork the open bottle immediately.
Make sure to store the properly recorked bottle in the refrigerator to best preserve the wine’s characteristics.
Store the bottle in an upright position to preserve it for a longer span of time (up to 4/5 days).
Consider using a vacuum pump to preserve the white or rosé wine for up to a week after opening the bottle.
When dealing with open sparkling wine, you want to make sure to save the bubbles. To do so, keep the wine as cold as possible.
Use an airtight cork to close the bottle. If you reuse the cork that was previously inside the bottle, gasses could build up in the bottle and ultimately cause the cork to fly off in your fridge.
Store the bottle in the fridge in an upright position to avoid the cork touching the beverage.
These types of red wines can last longer than most other available kinds. More specifically, higher tannins and full-bodied reds can last for up to 5 days once opened.
Light red wines generally fade quickly, and usually it’s better to finish the bottle 2-3 days after opening it. To better store it, it’s advised to carefully pour the wine into a smaller bottle.
White wines can last for up to 3-5 days, more specifically, lighter-bodied whites last longer than full-bodied whites due to how they weren’t aged in oak.
Champagne and sparkling wines can be stored for up to 3 days after they’ve been opened. Just make sure not to use a regular cork to close the bottle, otherwise the gasses might send it flying.
These kinds of wines can last from 2 days to one or two weeks, however, you should make sure to properly cork them to preserve their characteristics.
Open fortified wines can last for a really long time, even up to years, before losing their flavour. This is due to the high alcohol in them that helps the wine resist oxidation.
Don’t store the bottle on the side, otherwise the wine will come in contact with the cork and you’ll risk spoiling the flavour.
Don’t place the bottle near a window. Sunlight and heat will ruin the wine’s flavour.
Don’t store the wine in warm rooms. Always put the bottle in the fridge to make it last longer.
Absolutely, however, you need to make sure to have properly stored your opened bottle, otherwise the wine might have lost its flavour and aroma by the time you drink it.
No, the alcohol in the wine protects the beverage and prevents it from getting spoiled. The flavour of old wine can occasionally be unpleasant, but drinking it isn’t dangerous and won’t cause any unpleasant symptoms.
There are many ways that a wine can go bad. It could develop a sour flavour or aromas similar to vinegar or nail varnish remover. Old wines can develop musty aromas similar to a mouldy basement. Another bad sign is if you notice the wine has become very dull in colour.
If you’re wondering how you can tell if a bottle of wine has gone bad, we hope this article can answer all your questions and highlight the factors you need to focus on to recognise expired wine.
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