Shelf life of wines

Once opened, a bottle of wine, whatever the type, will keep for a maximum of a few days before degrading, undergoing the effects of oxidation through contact with air.

However, depending on the wine and its characteristics, it can be stored for shorter or longer periods. The factors are as follows:

• Type of wine (red, white, sweet…)
• Wine characteristics (age, acidity, tannin content, etc.)
• Quantity remaining in the bottle
• Storage temperature
• Ambient humidity
• Storage conditions, including brightness

For example, white wines have a lower tannin content than red wines. As a result, they are more subject to oxidation and have a shorter shelf life. For red wines, the more tannic the wine, the longer it will keep. On the other hand, a red wine with low acidity (neutral PH) will keep much less time. On average, an open white wine can be kept for one to two days, whereas an open red wine can be kept for two to four days. Sweet white wines also keep longer due to their high sweetness, as do young wines, which benefit from higher alcohol and sulfite levels.

Be careful! If you don’t, the bottle will turn sour within a day.

How to store an open bottle

There are several tips for optimizing the shelf life of any opened bottle of wine:

• Recork bottles directly after serving, and with the inner side of the cork, as the other part of the cork has been in contact with the outside and therefore potential dirt.
• Store opened bottles, especially light reds and whites, in the fridge or in a cool room.
• Keep the bottle away from light, especially UV rays.
• If the bottle of wine is too small, it’s best to pour it into a smaller, airtight container so that the wine has less contact with the air.

The preservation system solution

In recent years, technical progress has enabled the development of wine preservation systems now marketed by companies such as Advinéo and Coravin. These allow you to serve a glass of wine without opening the bottle, thus protecting the liquid from oxygenation.

Today, Coravin is a leader in the sector, and has developed wine preservation systems that involve inserting a needle plug into the cork to extract the wine, and releasing a neutral gas to prevent the introduction of air and thus oxygenation of the liquid.

Photo: Ibrahim Boran / Unsplash