Categories
How do you store opened bottles of wine?
Once a wine bottle has been opened, the wine reacts with the oxygen in the air. The oxygen changes the chemistry of the wine and therefore its flavour. Initially, this is desirable (keyword aeration), as the oxygen in the air unlocks many of the flavouring substances in the wine: The wine gains expression, complexity and finesse. However, if you want to store the opened bottle of wine so that you can drink it later, you have to prevent the wine from reacting with the oxygen - oxidation - because if the wine is exposed to oxygen too much and/or for too long, its flavour changes negatively: the wine becomes dull and stale, it tastes tired and old.
There are a number of ways to prevent oxygenation as effectively as possible. In any case, opened bottles of wine should be kept tightly closed and stored in a cool place, as a low temperature reduces the rate of chemical reaction. It is preferable to store opened bottles upright, even if they have been resealed. All these factors apply to white and rosé wines as well as red wines and orange wines.
- Even a simple, airtight seal is enough to keep opened bottles of wine - especially white wines - for weeks at a time without significantly impairing their flavour. The fill level in the bottle is important here: an almost full bottle lasts longer because there is naturally less air in it. A fairly empty bottle will keep considerably shorter. Simple white wines can be kept in the fridge for a day or two, higher quality white wines for a few weeks. Young red wines with a lot of acidity and tannin can be enjoyed for at least several days. Matured red and white wines are more sensitive and usually do not keep much longer than a day. Sweet wines can be kept for several weeks without hesitation.
- Instead of simply sealing the bottle to prevent fresh oxygen from entering due to air exchange, you can also remove the air from the bottle using a vacuum pump. A suitable, gas-tight seal then ensures that this condition is maintained for several days. However, opinions on this system are divided among wine lovers; critics are of the opinion that flavours are also lost when air is removed.
- Another way to prevent oxygen contact is to introduce inert gas into the opened wine bottle. Noble gases - also known as inert gases - such as argon, do not react with other substances under normal conditions, i.e. neither with the oxygen in the air nor with flavourings in the wine. These gases are heavier than air and act like a protective layer on the liquid level in the wine bottle, preventing oxidation. Special systems are available for this purpose, for example from Winaro. The inert gas is introduced into the bottle using a bottle attachment and a gas cartridge and the bottle is then sealed; a conventional cork is sufficient for this. However, the bottle must then be stored upright. The noble gas barrier is only dissolved when the bottle is tilted, i.e. the liquid level is changed and the noble gas is swirled around. As noble gases are so extremely inert, they are widely used in the food sector.
- The least effort is required to simply decant the wine remaining in the bottle into a small bottle. These are available in various sizes in household goods shops. They usually have a swing top, which is also airtight thanks to the rubber ring that fits over the bottle opening; the principle is the same as with preserving jars. However, a small used water bottle with a screw cap works just as well. The aim is to ensure that as little air as possible remains in the new bottle after decanting in order to minimise oxidation. The quicker (in terms of time) you decant the wine after opening the large bottle, the longer it will keep in the new bottle if it is immediately tightly sealed and refrigerated. To minimise oxidation during decanting (which is particularly useful for older wines), a protective gas can be poured into the small bottle beforehand (see above). For the same reason, it is also advisable to use a funnel for decanting with a nozzle that reaches to the bottom of the new bottle.
- There are special closures for sparkling wines that not only do not allow air into the bottle, but also withstand the pressure of the carbon dioxide and ensure that it remains in the bottle. These closures are firmly secured to the neck or opening of the bottle.
With certain (still) wines, however, it can make sense to deliberately expose them to atmospheric oxygen for several days by either not closing the open bottle at all or only closing it with a simple cork. The bottle can then be kept in the wine cellar; it does not necessarily have to be kept in the fridge. This procedure is particularly suitable for full-bodied, strong, substantial wines when they are still very young. As described at the beginning, the oxygen then opens up the flavours and softens the tannins in red wines: the wine becomes more accessible and harmonious. In a way, this treatment anticipates the future a little and acts like a time-lapse; the changes that an opened wine undergoes over the course of one or two days allow us to estimate to a certain extent how it will develop over the next few years as it matures.