How to Store Opened Red Wine

Even the most enthusiastic wine drinker often finds a full bottle of wine too much to drink in one go. Storing the wine is important to retain some of its characteristic flavours and aromas so you can enjoy it later.

Sparkling wines often improve within 24 hours of opening, and can be kept for about three days, but you will have to put a cork into the bottle or use a sparkling wine bottle stopper. Be aware, though, that sparkling wine will lose its fizz the longer it’s kept in the fridge, so use it up as quickly as possible.

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.

Does opened wine go bad?

Opened leftover wine will eventually go bad, but even if it does spoil to the point of being undrinkable, don’t throw it away. You can always find a use for it in your cooking.

Is it OK to drink red wine that has been opened for a week?

It is perfectly fine to drink week-old wine, but it may have a bitter taste and not be enjoyable. To preserve wine and maintain its flavours, keep it in the fridge once it’s open and seal it with a cork or a wine stopper.

How to store opened wine

Keep it in the fridge, or if you want to maintain a red wine at room temperature, seal the bottle and keep it out of direct light. Make sure the bottle is removed from close to the stovetop or cooker as it can heat the wine up and hasten its spoiling, as any extreme temperature changes are harmful. 

If you can, reuse the bottle’s original cork, making sure the same end is facing into the bottle. If your wine has a screw cap, simply ensure that it is done up tightly.

Keep bottles upright and don’t lay them on their side to minimise the surface area in contact with the glass. Preventing any dramatic temperature changes is also key.

Does a wine preservation system work?

If you are regularly opening high-quality wine and not finishing the bottle, you can invest in a wine preservation system. There are two types: the vacuum pump wine preservation and inert wine gas preservation - both work perfectly well.