The Best Ways To Store Wine After It Has Been Opened

12 December 2022 - by Bellevue Estate

If you want to improve your wine-tasting abilities, one of the obstacles you may face is preserving wine if you open more than one bottle at a time. This article will discuss how to keep your wine as fresh as possible for as long as feasible.

It’s always tricky to practise wine tasting without a study group. It’s also more expensive because you can’t share the cost between you, leaving you with wine you obviously don’t want to squander.

The clock starts ticking the moment you open the bottle, and your wine loses its scents and flavour qualities.

Why does wine deteriorate in the first place?

Wine has several enemies, including light and heat. However, the greatest threat it confronts is exposure to oxygen.

Vinegar is created when the wine is exposed to oxygen. When considering preserving wine, it is critical to ensure that your wine is insulated from air exposure as much as possible.Always remembering to close the bottle after each pour is an excellent start, but it needs to go further.

1. Always store opened wine bottles upright.

Once opened, all wine bottles (cork or screwcap) should be stored upright to decrease the surface area exposed to air.

2. Store your wine in the refrigerator.

Because white wines are usually best served chilled, storing opened bottles in the fridge feels natural. Because red wine’s properties are better exhibited at warmer temperatures, any chilling may appear like a faux pas.

However, you can avoid storing opened red wine in the refrigerator. Cooler temperatures slow down chemical reactions, such as oxidation. In the fridge, a re-closed bottle of red or white wine can keep for up to five days.

Some light-bodied reds can be quite delicious when served slightly chilled.

3. Make use of a wine preservation technique.

A professional wine preservation system can help keep your wine fresh even longer if you don’t mind paying. Even though numerous gadgets and technologies are available, two wine preservation systems are the most popular and successful.

Vacuum pumps remove the air from an opened bottle, allowing it to be resealed hermetically without damaging the wine. This is a low-cost option that is commonly used in restaurants and bars.

 This technique works by injecting an inert gas, often argon, into the bottle. Because it is heavier than oxygen, this gas forms a protective layer on the wine’s surface.

Some static wine gas preservation methods contain a device with a needle that punctures a hole in the cork to remove wine without pulling the pin out, hence avoiding oxygen interaction. Argon gas replaces the wine in the bottle and the cork spontaneously reseals itself as if the bottle had never been opened.

A gas canister system is similar but less expensive than inert wine gas preservation techniques. You insert a gas mixture into the bottle to protect the wine from oxygen. With this approach, you must uncork the bottle and use the gas before resealing it, which exposes the wine to some oxygen.

4. Make use of smaller bottles.

There are at least twelve different sizes of wine bottles. If you don’t want to spend money on a wine preservation system, consider decanting your leftover wines into smaller bottles and storing them in the fridge with a screw cover. Because there is less area for air in compact bottles, there is less exposure to oxygen.

Alternatively, you can purchase smaller quantities of wine. Although half bottles or splits are less common in stores, they are readily available online.

5. After opening, how should sparkling wines be stored?

All wines should be stored in the dark because direct light is hazardous. Intense sunlight can harm the flavours and aromas of wine and cause discolouration. Sparkling wines are especially vulnerable to the harmful effects of light.

Unfortunately, wine preservation systems do not work with sparkling wines. The vacuum pumps will suck out the bubbles, leaving the wine flat, whereas inert gas-based systems are only suitable for still wines.

A Champagne stopper is the best way to keep a sparkling wine fresh. They’re cheap and can keep your bubbles going for up to five days. Avoid putting a teaspoon in the neck of your bottle; this is useless.

Bellevue offers a range of exclusive activities and events that highlight our commitment to offering guests a truly unique experience. From private winery tours, to food and wine pairings, we have something for everyone! Whether you are just beginning your adventure into the world of wine or an experienced connoisseur looking for something new, Bellevue is an experience not to be missed. So come start your journey with us at Bellevue – where every day is a celebration!