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How long does open wine keep?
First of all, to clarify the term: "open wine" here does not mean wine that is served by the glass or carafe in the catering trade, but open bottles of wine.
How long a wine lasts in an open bottle depends on the quality of the wine itself as well as on how the bottle is stored.
Indicators of wine quality
Wine has certain ingredients that make it long-lasting. The higher the content of these substances, the longer the wine will keep - in a closed or open bottle.
One of the most important factors for the shelf life of a wine is its Extract - technically speaking, its must weight, which depends on the yield and the ripeness of the grapes. The easiest way to influence the extract is to limit the yield: The fewer grapes on the vine, the higher the extract of the individual berries and the more substantial, high-quality and storable the wine. As the grapes ripen, the must weight increases, as more and more extract is formed in the grapes. Indications for yield limitation and must weight are provided by the protected designation of origin (the closer the origin, the lower the yield) and/or the Predicates(Kabinett, Spätlese, Auslese, Beerenauslese, Trockenbeerenauslese, Eiswein).
Sugar and Acidity are naturally present in wine, as are salts in the form of minerals. Wines that mature in Wooden barrel are preserved by the antibacterial effect of the smoke (when the barrel is toasted) and the wood tannin. Red wines have a longer shelf life due to the Tannin from the grape skins and seeds, red wines have an additional natural preservation factor.
Apart from these "internal" factors Sulphur (which occurs in wine in the form of sulphites, i.e. the salts of sulphurous acid ) is a highly effective "external" preservative, as it binds oxygen, deprives microorganisms such as bacteria of their basis for life and inhibits the activity of enzymes. Sulphur is added to the wine after fermentation and again before bottling; there are legal maximum values for this.
Based on this, the following basic, rough rules apply to the shelf life of wines:
- Red wines can be stored for longer than white wines.
- Wines matured in wood can be stored for longer than wines matured in stainless steel.
- Residual sweet and noble sweet wines can be stored for longer than dry or semi-dry wines.
- High-acid wines can be stored for longer than low-acid wines.
- Winesrich in minerals can be stored for longer than wines low in minerals.
- Wines with a higher predicate level can be stored for longer than wines with a lower or no predicate level.
- Wines with low yields can be stored for longer than wines with high yields.
- Wines with a narrower designation of origin (e.g. single vineyard) can be stored for longer than wines with a wider designation of origin (e.g. wine region).
Storage and shelf life
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 thus its flavour. Initially, this is desirable, as the oxygen in the air unlocks many of the flavours 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 (e.g. a cork) is enough to keep open wines for several days, sometimes even weeks, without significantly affecting their flavour. The fill level in the bottle is important here: an almost full bottle lasts longer because there is naturally little air in it. A fairly empty bottle lasts considerably shorter.
The following rule of thumb applies to the shelf life if the wine bottles are kept resealed in the refrigerator:
- Simple white and rosé wines can definitely be kept for a day or two, higher quality white wines for a week or two.
- Young red wines with a lot of acidity and tannin can also be enjoyed for several days to a week or two - the higher the quality (see quality characteristics), the longer.
- Matured red and white wines are more sensitive and usually do not keep for more than a day.
- Sweet wines can be kept for several (four, six or more) weeks without hesitation - the higher the quality grade, the longer.
To extend the shelf life of open wines, there are also certain aids and tricks that are explained in the following article:
How do you store opened bottles of wine?