Leftover Wine?

The most common question I get asked is “how long will an open bottle of wine last?” And my immediate response is – Why do you have leftover wine in the first place??

But before I tell them what to do with their bottle of wine, I ask them what kind of wine they were drinking, to ensure that I give them correct advice.

With correct storage, different types of non-fortified wine can last between 2-5 days. 
Fortified wines can, however, last up to 30 days in a cool, dark place.

Read on to know more about different style of wine.

-Light White and Rosé Wines:  2-5 days, in the fridge. Ensure to close the bottle with the cork or the cap. Sweeter the wine, longer it will last. Late harvests can last up to 5-7 days.
-Bold White and Red Wines: 2-3 days, in the fridge. Ensure to close the bottle with the cork or the cap. Red wine oxidises faster and hence should be consumed as quickly as possible.
-Sparkling Wine: 1-2 days in the fridge with wine stopper or you could cover it with cling wrap and tie a rubber band around the neck of the bottle to secure the cling wrap. The bubbles will not be as fresh, though.
-Fortified Wine: 25-30 days in a cool (very important!) dark place. Ensure to close with the cork. Some sweet wines like Madeira can be kept longer than 30 days, too.

An opened bottle of wine loses its fruit characters and starts turning into vinegar due to exposure to oxygen. So if you try the leftover wine the next day and don’t like the taste either use it in cooking or get rid of it altogether.

Have you ever had this question about leftover wine?