shelf life

[chef koo]

i didn't bother searching for past content due to a million different results so i'm just gonna ask. after you open a bottle of wine, how long does it last?

[winebabe]

i didn't bother searching for past content due to a million different results so i'm just gonna ask. after you open a bottle of wine, how long does it last?

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Depends on the wine.

Some have the structure, fruit and acid to last for several days. Riesling immediately comes to mind but other wines with good acid and tannin structure will evolve over a few days - young Cote Rotie, for example.

I had a partial bottle of GKA auslese that was still good after five months in my fridge.

Hedonistic fruit bombs with little acid and gobs and gobs of fruit tend to fall apart overnight. They don't have the acidity levels to support the wine as it evolves with oxygen. Doesn't say much about RP's palate either.

[chef koo]

would it help if i kept it in the fridge? i know wines with tannin lose their fruit more quickly but i was wondering if there's a general guideline to follow. for exampl you wouldn't keep an open bottle of wine for more then ____ days

[KatieLoeb]

would it help if i kept it in the fridge? i know wines with tannin lose their fruit more quickly but i was wondering if there's a general guideline to follow. for exampl you wouldn't keep an open bottle of wine for more then ____ days

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It helps immesnely if you move the "leftovers" to a smaller container with less oxygen in it. A half bottle of leftover wine does quite well in a well rinsed Snapple bottle with tight screwtop, or an empty 375 ml bottle from a half bottle of wine long past.

The fridge helps retard oxidation somewhat. I wouldn't keep an open bottle or the leftovers from it for more than a few days.

I don't seem to have this problem too often...

[carswell]

I second the idea of transferring leftover wine to a smaller container and, in fact, have a collection of screwcapped bottles of various sizes reserved for this purpose. I also recommend using Private Preserve or equivalent product to cover the wine's surface with an layer of inert gas. Once gassed, the bottle goes in the fridge where it will keep for, well, I don't know how long since I usually finish off the wine in a week or two.

Freezing is another good way to retard oxidation. Just make sure you leave plenty of headspace in the bottle for the frozen wine to expand into. I use this technique for leftover wine I intend to cook with but it's also fine for wines you plan to drink (well, maybe not your leftover '49 Lafite...). The flavour is affected little if at all. Freezing will cause some heavy red wines to throw a sediment, however.