Is it possible to preserve a wine once opened

Once opened all wine bottles whether screwcap or cork should be stored in an upright position to reduce the surface area exposed to oxygen. When it comes to red wine, because its characteristics are better expressed in warmer temperatures, any form of chilling might seem like a faux pas. Cooler temperatures slow down chemical processes, including oxidation. A re-closed bottle of red or white wine in the fridge can stay relatively fresh for up to five days.

Some light-bodied reds can actually be very enjoyable while served slightly chilled Six common wine myths debunked. Although there are many gadgets and devices available, two wine preservation systems seem to be the most popular and effective. Vacuum pumps suck the air out of an opened bottle so it can be re-sealed hermetically without the oxygen affecting the wine. This is an affordable option commonly used in restaurants and bars.

Vacu Vin is the best-known brand — this company invented the vacuum pump wine preservation system. They promise up to two weeks extra life for an opened bottle of wine. Inert wine gas preservation systems can keep your opened wine fresh for even longer, but this is usually more of an enthusiast option since they can be quite expensive. This system is based on inserting an inert gas — usually argon - into the bottle. This gas, being heavier than oxygen, creates a protective layer on the surface of the wine.

They worry that the outward-facing side could spoil the wine if, say, that side was slightly cork taint affected but the side that had been facing the wine wasn't. Besides, it just seems more sanitary. The top of the cork has been exposed to lots of things on its journey from the winery.

If your wine is closed with a screwcap or a glass cork, this first step is even easier. The opposite is true with those inflexible, plastic-y feeling ones. There's no amount of muscle and there's no secret angle that will convince those corks to squeeze back into a wine bottle neck. So, it's useful to keep an extra cork or three around, all in slightly different widths as wine bottle necks aren't all the same size. If you're a clutterphobe, you can always give the extra corks a second shift, standing in as safety coverings for the end of an ice pick or a cooking thermometer shoved into a drawer!

That way you always have a spare cork on hand, but it's serving a functional purpose in the meantime. This is also helpful for those times you plan to drink a bottle and toss the cork but then don't finish it after all. Sometimes glass stoppers from wine bottles are worth keeping around, too. They often fit best into smaller-necked bottles.

As a last resort, just cover the opening with plastic wrap and snap on a rubber band. If you know you're not going to finish a bottle, don't let it sit un-stoppered on your counter or in your fridge. Pop the screwcap back on or shove the cork in as soon as you've poured your glass. Similarly, if you're not finishing a bottle of wine in one go, don't decant it. Let the wine breathe in the glass es instead. If you really need to "decant" or oxygenate a single glass, pour the single serving back and forth into a second wine glass to achieve your desired level of aeration.

Does wine need to be refrigerated after opening? It's basically all pros and almost no cons when it comes to refrigerating open wine.

Cold temperatures significantly delay oxidation reactions, but the open wine bottles will still be changing in your refrigerator. Just as you store open white wine in the refrigerator, you should refrigerate red wine after opening. Beware that more subtle red wines, like Pinot Noir, can start turning "flat" or taste less fruit-driven after a few days in the refrigerator. Still, how long red wine lasts after opening will improve if you opt for the refrigerator rather than the counter.

Balking at the idea of cold red wine? Taking red wine out of the fridge half an hour before you drink it will do the trick. If you're too thirsty to wait, run lukewarm water over the bottom of the bottle while turning it for even heat distribution. If you're really desperate, you can even pour a glass then carefully rotate the exterior of the glass under the faucet. If you think the idea of refrigerating red wine is just too bonkers, at least try to store the wine in a cool, dark place or away from lights that give off heat.

I generally place my opened red wines back in my wine fridge, where they lay horizontally. This keeps them at the right temperature while stored and has them ready for drinking when I am. However, this is only a good idea for drinking already opened red wine the next day or two. This is because of the oxygen exposure principle. If a bottle is laid flat for storage, more wine surface will be exposed to air in the bottle.

If the bottle is stood on end, there is less air exposure. A great way to save half a bottle of wine is to pour it into a ml half bottle.

Instead of exposing the remaining half a bottle to oxygen at the widest circumference, you expose only a tiny portion at the neck of the half bottle. In fact, to extend the life of the wine for several more days, make sure there is just a bit more than half the bottle left. Fill the ml bottle to the very top. Yes, you'll lose half an ounce or even a whole ounce, but you'll preserve the rest of the wine much, much better. Worth it! If you're into gadgets, you're in for a treat.

There are numerous wine preservation tools, many of them reviewed here. Are they worth it? If you are wavering on spending the cash on these tools, take a few minutes to think about how many times a week or month you need to save a bottle of wine as well as the average price of the bottle you save. Probably so, as the tool will pay for itself many times over within a year.

The best value wine closure is the VacuVin , which only requires a little muscle to use and basically lasts forever. Do not, however, use a VacuVin on a sparkling wine as you'll extract the bubbles you aim to keep!

A step up in price but still a good value is the Private Preserve inert gas spray. In fact, my favorite preservation sequence is to spray Private Preserve into a bottle then pump it closed with the VacuVin system. I promise that this isn't what you are thinking! Sure, don't open a special bottle if you're not going to finish it and don't think that you can keep your fancy wine fresh.

To learn more about optimal storage for your bottles of wine, check in here. However, what I mean here is that you can use a very handy tool called a Coravin to "access" a glass of wine without opening the bottle. Inert gas Argon or other gas mixtures work by replacing the oxygen in the bottle and creating a protective layer on the surface. Once the gases are sprayed, put the cork back as tightly as possible and refrigerate in an upward position. If you accidentally threw away the cork you can purchase wine stoppers which come in cute and decorative designs.

They are made of plastic or metal and create an air-tight seal. Wine stoppers are used because it is hard to put the original cork back into the bottleneck. Try looking for the ones that have soft flanges near the top. You can find them online or at wine stores. There are stoppers specifically designed for sparkling wines. Here is another way to preserve the bottle of wine that you didn't finish.

A wine shield is a circular, flexible disc which is inserted in a partly drunk bottle of wine. This floating lid keeps the wine fresh and performs strongly for a couple of days. The plastic disc is made with some air bubbles which lets it float on the surface of the wine.

It doesn't plug the neck of the bottle instead it moves with it when the bottle is sitting upright. It is also perfect for bars and restaurants that sell wine by the glass. Stay in touch to avail exclusive benefits and get premium industry-related content express-delivered to your inbox. Submission Now Open.