The best part about knowing your wine and enjoying it is that you can curate your own collection as per your taste. However, choosing and buying wines are only part of the process – The real game is to store it properly. When kept correctly, wine can last for decades, even centuries – growing in taste and value. But not storing it properly can immediately spoil even the best of wines in the world.
of wines in the world.
To understand it more, we got in touch with Gokul Kurhade, Wine Maker at Chateau Indage. Here’s what he has to say:
How to store wine properly and manage it when the bottle is already opened?
To make your wine taste fresh for a longer time, re-cork the wine bottle cork after each pour, and store the open wine bottle at room temperature and away from light. Most of the time, refrigeration helps wine stay fresh, even red wine. The oxidation process, which occurs when oxygen meets the wine, is slowed down when the wine is stored at lower temperatures. Wine stored by cork inside the fridge will stay relatively fresh for up to 3-5 days. A wine drinker understands the struggle of storing an opened bottle of wine. Once the bottle is opened and the wine is exposed to the air the process of oxidation starts. This can compromise the flavour of your wine. Here are 3 tips to store your favourite wine once opened:
Recork
Plugging a half-finished bottle of wine with the original cork that came with the bottle is the simplest way for a wine drinker to preserve it. This is very easy if your wine bottle has a screw cap. Your outcomes with a cork will vary depending on the cork’s quality. Make sure to always insert the cork end that was facing inward when you opened the bottle.
Transfer to a smaller bottle
Wine loses flavour and perfume due to oxidation and flattening caused by air. Try bottling the leftover wine in smaller, airtight containers or bottles to reduce oxidation since there is lesser room for air. Pour the remaining wine through a funnel into a screw-top smaller bottle to reduce air exposure. Even though there might be a small amount of air at the top, it is significantly less than a full-size bottle. This simple method lowers the ratio of air to wine in the bottle.
Use wines stoppers
If you have misplaced the original cork or are unable to fit the cork back into the bottleneck, wine stoppers are a great alternative. They are made of plastic or metal and create an air-tight seal. They are easily available online or at wine stores. There are stoppers specifically designed for sparkling wines.
While the following recommendations can all be used to store a bottle of wine that has already been opened, oxidation will only be delayed rather than prevented. Different varieties of wine age differently. Sparkling wine and light red wine, like Pinot Noir, will only last one to three days after opening. Full-bodied white wine like a chardonnay may last two to three days once re-corked. Light whites Sauvignon Blanc and full-bodied reds such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Bordeaux and Merlot may last up to five days after opening.
