What is the Best Way to Store Wine After Opening *

Who doesn’t like the occasional glass of quality wine? For many of us, wine is a more than an occasional treat, something that we take quite seriously. If you are an avid wine drinker then you will be familiar with the dilemma of how to best store wine, especially once it has been opened. Storing wine incorrectly will greatly reduce its shelf life and can often lead to wine becoming spoiled and, therefore, unpleasant tasting. Before wine has been opened, it is relatively easy to keep it under optimum, or near optimum, conditions. However, once it has been opened then things become a little more complicated.

Store it in a Wine Cellar or Closet

Once the wine has been opened, the main focus as far as storing it is concerned is to minimize its contact with air. When air comes into contact with the wine, it begins reacting with a number of different compounds contained within. The products and by-products of these reactions leave the wine with an unpleasant taste and aroma. Storing your wine in a wine cellar or closet will ensure that the air cannot get to it; there is a reason that professional outfits like Octavian Vaults make use of wine cellars, which are very effective.

Keep it Away from Light and Heat

Sometimes, you will be limited in your options as far as storing an open bottle of wine goes. Perhaps you are traveling with your spouse and have a nice bottle that you want to save for the next night, but you don’t have access to a suitable cellar or spare closet space. If you find yourself in such a situation, then you may need to improvise. Remember, keeping the wine protected from the air is the most important thing, after that, you want to prioritize keeping it away from excessive heat or light.

Placing wine in the fridge will help to keep it from spoiling, however, if the fridge you choose is one that is regularly used, then be careful not to leave the door open for prolonged periods. If at all possible, use a fridge that is otherwise seldom used so that it will provide a more consistently dark environment.

Purchase a Stopper

If the wine you drink uses a simple screw-on cap, then it is a lot easier to keep it away from the air. However, with wine that has a cork in the bottle, the matter is a little more complicated. Once a cork has been removed, it cannot easily be replaced and removed as needed. However, you can purchase special stoppers, which can easily be placed in the neck to keep air out of the bottle.

Once the wine has been opened, the clock will start counting down on how long it will stay drinkable. Wine can go from perfectly fine to unbearable much quicker than many people realize. However, as long as you follow a few simple steps and keep your wine as free from air, light, and heat as possible, you shouldn’t have any problems.