Wondering how long does white wine last after opening? The answer depends on several factors like temperature and exposure to air. In general, white wine will last for two to three days after being opened.
6 Tips To Make White Wine Last Longer
Knowing how long does white wine last after opening is essential information for wine drinkers. You don’t want to feel obligated to finish an entire wine bottle in one sitting. For example, you might have an early meeting at work tomorrow and don’t want to suffer a hangover. Alternatively, you might be in a mood for a single glass of wine.
To make your white wine last longer, use the following tips. Without using these tips, a bottle of wine will become bad wine fast. Don’t let that happen to you! The average life expectancy of a bottle of wine should be at least two to three days with proper care. Therefore, an entire bottle could last you for a few days.
Tip 1: Keep the wine cork for your leftover wine
After you have finished serving wine for the evening, put the wine cork back in the wine bottle. This is one of the easier ways to keep the wine in good condition for longer. Putting the cork back in the bottle slows down the chemical process that ruins wine.
Carefully placing the cork back in the wine bottle helps. It has the advantage of being free! However, cork has limitations. For example, you may face cork taint. According to Wine Folly, cork taint impacts about 2-3% of bottled wines. In these cases, the cork is causing damage to the wine. There is a good chance that you already have bad wine on your hands and should throw away the wine. If you have managed to avoid wine spoilage, using a non-cork wine stopper in your wine bottle is a bright idea.
Tip 2: Use a non-cork wine stopper
In some cases, the wine cork is not the right solution. Your wine cork may have broken while you pulled it from the wine bottle. Broken corks are more likely to happen when you open wine without a corkscrew.
Tip 3: Store the bottle of wine in your kitchen fridge
Storing bottles of wine in your kitchen fridge is an excellent way to preserve them for a few days. When you do this, keep your expectations reasonable. There is a good chance that your bottles of wine will last for two days. After four or five days, the shelf life of your leftover wine will probably be over. At that point, it is best to throw out the wine and switch to an unopened wine bottle instead.
Tip 4: Store the bottle of wine in a wine fridge
When you open your favorite wine on a weeknight, you may not want to finish the entire bottle. In that case, paying for proper wine storage can help. While a wine stopper and a kitchen fridge help, they are not ideal. Exposure to colder temperatures and direct light remain threats to the wine. Setting up a wine cellar is an excellent option if you have the space and funds to indulge in your wine hobby.
Keeping wine fresh in a wine cellar is not an option for the rest of us. Instead, consider buying a wine refrigerator. These specialized devices keep exposure to light to a minimum. Further, you also get consistent temperature for storage. With a kitchen fridge, the door is constantly being opened and closed. That leads to an increased risk of damage to your wine.
Tip: Need inspiration for your wine bucket list? Imagine storing your wine collection in a professional wine storage facility. For example, Domaine Wine Storage in New York is a well-respected option. The company also provides local pickup and delivery so that you can easily access bottles of wine from your wine collection.
Tip 5: Use the Coravin Wine Preservation system
You might not have a complete wine collection or an interest in using a professional wine storage facility. For example, you might have bought a high-end bottle of Burgundy white wine. In that case, the question “how long does white wine last after opening” becomes more urgent. After all, you don’t want a $100 or $200 bottle of wine to go bad!
One answer is to use the Coravin wine preserver. I bought one of these devices in 2021. In essence, the device preserves wine by eliminating exposure to oxygen. The device puts neutral gas into the wine bottle and closes it. Used properly, this wine preserver can keep wine preserved for weeks! Of course, no system is perfect and small amounts of additional oxygen may still come into the wine bottle.
Tip 6: How to tell if leftover wine has become bad wine
Even if you follow all of these steps perfectly, the shelf life of your wine may still disappoint. There are a few signs to look for to avoid drinking bad wine.
Changes In Color
The good news is that you can often tell if a wine has gone bad simply by looking at it. For example, a bottle of white wine may have a darker color like brown. Likewise, a bottle of red wine may have a brownish tint.
Sour Taste
Poorly preserved leftover wine will have a sour taste. Specifically, the sour taste in bad wine usually tastes like vinegar. Other aspects of the wine, like the fruity flavor, may disappear altogether.
What Causes Bad Wine?
Wine spoilage is a common problem, especially with leftover wine. In brief, air exposure will gradually ruin all wines, including expensive wines. Air exposure leads to chemical reactions that transform the wine into vinegar. In addition to air exposure, wine experts also point out that heat damage is a problem. For example, a wine left out in the sun for several hours will likely lose its vibrant flavors.
What About Sparkling Wines?
There are two aspects to keep in mind with this type of wine when it comes to sparkling wines. First, the bubbles in the wine will disappear pretty quickly. Expect them to be gone within a few hours of opening the bottle. That said, sparkling wines are still enjoyable even after the bubbles have disappeared.
Since the bubbles are a vital part of the sparkling wine experience, it is often best to finish the bottle right away. If you don’t want to finish the bottle, you can use a sparkling wine stopper. A serious sparkling wine lover will expect no less!
Learn More About Chardonnay
Now you know how long does white wine last after opening, why not find your next bottle of wine to enjoy? Use this guide to the price of Chardonnay to find 12 wine options for every wine budget.
