How Long Does Open Wine Last?

It's almost unimaginable, but every now and then a bottle won't be finished on the day of opening. We've heard that some people stop drinking after a glass or two.

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What should you do with an opened bottle and how long will the wine keep? Unfortunately, once a bottle is opened, the wine will oxidise. It reacts with oxygen in the air and ripens, so to speak. This can have an unpleasant effect on the colour, taste and smell.

Where and how best to store open wine bottles depends on a number of factors.

Type of wine

Red wine lasts significantly longer than white wine. This is because the tannins in red wine act like a preservative and ensure a longer shelf life. The same applies to sugar: The sweeter the wine, the longer the opened bottle can be kept. The sugar stops it fermenting. The acid content also affects the shelf life. The more acid the wine contains, the longer it can be kept, as acid inhibits bacterial growth.

Contents

The less wine there is in the bottle, the more air it contains. This means that the wine will oxidise quicker and have a shorter shelf life than a bottle that is almost full. This graphic shows you how long white or red wine can be kept in the refrigerator.

If there is only a little left in the bottle, you could transfer the wine to a small glass container. There will be less oxygen in here, guaranteeing a longer shelf life.

Sparkling wine should always be drunk on the same day.

Always store in the refrigerator

Regardless of whether it's red or white, an opened bottle should be stored in the fridge. The lower the temperature, the less quickly oxidation takes place. Simply take the red wine out of the refrigerator in good time before serving so that it reaches the perfect drinking temperature of approx. 16 to 18 degrees (for medium-bodied reds).

Store wine upright

Under no circumstances should you store a half-empty bottle lying down! This exposes a much larger surface area to the air and ensures faster oxidation. For this reason, always store the opened bottle upright in the fridge.

Close the bottle tightly

An open wine bottle should be closed as tightly as possible immediately. With the screw cap, simply close. For bottles with corks, push the cork a little way into the neck of the bottle. The less oxygen there is in the bottle, the longer the wine will keep. There are also special bottle caps that seal wine bottles and are very easy to attach.