How to keep a bottle of wine after it has been opened?

If you like wine, you will surely know that when you open a bottle and do not consume it in its entirety, time starts to work against you. This is because this drink, when it comes into contact with oxygen, tends to lose its properties and alter its original flavours and aromas. We know that a recently opened wine will be able to maintain its qualities within 3 and 5 days after opening, but to extend this time it is necessary to follow certain recommendations.

How to keep the wine after it has been opened?

First of all, you should know that one of the factors that has the greatest impact on wine is air, not only when we talk about negative elements, but also because of its contribution to the wine’s aromatic qualities. However, as the hours go by, the air also contributes to the chemical oxidation of the wine, generating changes that, although they cannot be stopped, can be slowed down. For this reason, we want to explain how to preserve an open bottle of wine so that you can enjoy it for the next few days.

Close the bottle of wine correctly

The first rule you should consider to keep a bottle of wine after opening it is to keep the cork. Correct storage can make the drink last from 3 to 5 days; that is, if you manage to seal it hermetically with its own cork. Air is an element that contributes to the oxidation of wine, even turning it into vinegar. That is why it must be prevented from coming into contact with oxygen. So the cork is essential, but if you also add a bit of wax paper around it, the seal will be more airtight and contact with air will be minimal. what happens if the cork is damaged? This can happen, and it is best to seal the bottle with a special wine stopper. The important thing is to make sure that the bottle is not exposed to air. Another alternative that you can consider if you know that you are not going to consume the whole bottle is to buy wines that come with synthetic stoppers, as these are usually more resistant than natural cork stoppers.

Keep the bottle upright and in the dark

In general, wine bottles at home are kept horizontally, however, when they are already opened, it is very important that they are stored in an upright position, as this minimises the contact of air with the liquid, thus preventing oxidation. Storing the bottle in a dark area of the house is also an element to consider, as the incidence of light favours the production of chemical reactions that alter the taste and texture of the wine.

Make sure that the bottle is placed in a cool place

Another great enemy of opened wine is temperature, so it is very important to avoid storing the wine in a very warm place or subjecting it to drastic temperature changes. For this reason, it is best to store it in a cool place, or even in the fridge, as the cold is an excellent option that helps to preserve the wine and to slow down the degradation of its properties when it is opened. However, this will depend on the type of wine. Moreover, we know that some light red wines and even whites taste much better when served slightly chilled.

Remove the air from the bottle

Nowadays there are hundreds of options on the market regarding equipment that sucks the air out of the bottles. This is a good alternative to preserve the wine so that it remains in optimal conditions for consumption, even for up to two weeks. However, there are scientific studies that indicate that this type of equipment only sucks in 70% of the air, so the conservation period would be reduced to half.

Use of inert gas

This option is perhaps a little more difficult to apply, as it is more sophisticated. But it is a very popular alternative in bars and restaurants, where wine consumption is often by the glass, which is more cost-effective. However, it is an option that you can also take to your home, bearing in mind that it is not one of the most economical. It consists of incorporating inert gas into the bottle, which expels the oxygen and protects the wine. This is done with a device with a needle that penetrates the cork of the bottle, thus extracting the liquid, without removing the cork, and where the empty space is replaced with inert gas. An alternative that allows you to enjoy a wine in optimum conditions, up to three months later.

Stoppers for sparkling wines

When we talked about these techniques being effective depending on the type of wine, we meant that unfortunately these recommendations do not work for sparkling wines. For example, the air extractor equipment would completely remove the bubbles from the wine, leaving it without this element, which is probably its most defining characteristic. For these cases, the most advisable thing to do is to use a Champagne stopper, which, besides being very economical, preserves the bubbles of your wine up to 5 days after opening. Another element to consider in this type of sparkling wines is to keep them in a dark place, as they are usually more sensitive to light than wines defined as still wines. In addition, the colour and flavour could also be altered. and that’s it for today’s article! Now you know how to enjoy a glass of wine on special occasions, without having to consume the rest of the bottle and, best of all, without having to discard the remaining liquid.