Pouring red wine into glasses in the vineyard at sunsetRostislav_Sedlacek/iStock
Depending on its style and how much is left in the bottle, a good quality white or red wine will last up to four days in the fridge. The same goes for sparkling wines, sealed with a Champagne stopper that helps maintain pressure inside the bottle.
Closing the bottle after each pour helps to limit exposure to oxygen, which will cause wine to lose its aromas and flavour characteristics over time. But there are more effective ways to keep your wine fresh than sticking the cork back in and hoping for the best. Here are some tips to keep that bottle of wine tasting its best after opening.
Store upright in a refrigerator: Whether its red, white, or pink, place the bottle in the fridge after opening to limit its exposure to oxygen, heat, and light that will make it taste stale or flat. Cooler temperatures slow chemical reactions like oxidation and keep an open bottle of wine fresher for longer than one left on the kitchen counter. Keeping the container upright helps to reduce the surface area exposed to air.
Transfer to a smaller vessel: My preferred method to keep open wine for longer than a few days is funnel it into an empty half-bottle to reduce the ratio of oxygen to wine. Don’t have a half bottle on hand? Use a smaller mason jar or another clean, air-tight and non-reactive container as the new home for your leftover wine. Leave as little a gap as possible between the wine and the closure. Store in the fridge. White wines stored this way can last weeks without showing any decline in character, reds are more variable. Let your taste be your guide. If the colour has changed or your once fruity wine is now tasting funky, it won’t harm you, but it’s not going to be a pleasurable experience.
Wine preservation systems: There are many gadgets and devices designed for wine preservation. Vacuum devices, such as the Vacu Vin and Metrokane Rabbit pump systems that suck the air out of the wine bottle to limit the oxidation process, are popular with many wine lovers. I’ve had mixed success with them as well as using inert gas canisters, products such as Private Preserve or Wine Life, that use argon or nitrogen to blanket wine from exposure to oxygen. At the high end, Coravin advertises its range of wine preservation systems to sommeliers and collectors looking to extend the life of an open bottle over a period of weeks or months. The systems use proprietary argon gas capsules to maintain the freshness of the wine, which adds to the expense of ongoing use of the unit. The cost of the unit and refills doesn’t make sense to use on affordable wines, but if you’re digging into your cellar without wanting to finish a prized bottle, this can be a useful tool.
Buy half bottles: Avoid having leftovers by shopping for smaller formats. The selection of half bottles, cans and alternatives to the traditional 750 ml bottle continues to increase at liquor stores across the country, led by 200 ml and 375 ml bottles or 355 ml cans formats of popular brands like Cave Spring Dry Riesling, Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc, Masi Campofiorin, Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio and Trapiche Reserve Malbec.