Welcome to part 6 of Wine for beginners: Getting started. By now you have a handle on taste, building blocks and serving. But what do you do when the wine is not going to be drunk right away? And what actually happens to that opened bottle left standing on the kitchen counter?
The good news is that good storage does not require a cellar with a stone staircase and cobwebs. A few simple habits do most of the work, and then you can happily enjoy your wine whenever it suits you.
What you will learn
- How to store wine best at home without any special equipment
- Why some wines lie down, and why it does not always matter so much
- Which wines benefit from lying for a few years, and which are best enjoyed young
- How long an open bottle typically keeps
How to store wine at home
Wine thrives in calm. Three things are worth remembering: temperature, light and stability.
Think of temperature like a radiator. Wine does not like heat, and it really does not like big swings from day to day. A reasonably cool spot that stays stable is better than a cold spot that swings up and down. A cabinet or a cupboard in a room that does not get hot in summer works fine for most people.
Light, especially direct sunlight, is wine's enemy. That is why many bottles are made of dark glass. The green or brown colour acts like a pair of sunglasses and filters out the sun's rays that would otherwise wear on the wine. So place the bottles somewhere dark, not on the windowsill.
Finally, wine likes to be left in peace. A quiet corner without constant rumbling and heat is better than a spot right next to the stove or the dishwasher.
Should the wine lie down?
The classic image is bottles lying neatly on their side. The idea is simple: when the bottle is closed with a natural cork, the wine keeps the cork moist from the inside. A moist cork stays soft and seals tightly, while a dried-out cork can shrink and let air in.
In other words, this mostly matters if you are keeping a bottle with a natural cork for a long time. If the wine is going to be drunk over the next weeks or months, it does not matter much whether it stands upright or lies down. And if the bottle has a screw cap, you do not need to think about the cork at all.
So if you have a small store that you keep over a longer period, lay the bottles down. If they are going to be drunk soon, they can stand however it suits you.
Can all wines be aged?
Here is a point that surprises many people: most wines are made to be drunk young. They are fresh and fine from the start, and they do not get better from waiting. Many light white wines and rosé wines show their loveliest side while they are crisp and fruity, and those you should not keep.
Ageing is about the fewer wines that are built for it. Over time some slow changes happen in the bottle: the fresh fruit notes are joined by more mature, spicy tones, and in powerful red wines the tannins (the dry sensation on the tongue) become softer and more rounded. It is typically the fuller and more structured wines that benefit from a few years or more. If you want to refresh your memory of what tannin is, you can look at Body, acidity, tannin and sweetness.
As a rule of thumb: a wine with good structure, acidity and concentration can stand to wait. A light, fresh everyday wine cannot. If in doubt, drink it. The vast majority of wines in the shop are ready now.
An easy guideline
If you want to keep a wine, choose one that already feels full and powerful. If you want something light and refreshing, drink it young. You do not need to think in decades to get enjoyment from wine.
How long does an open bottle last?
Once the cork is pulled, the air begins to work on the wine. A little air can be lovely and open the wine up, but after a while the fresh aromas start to fade and the fruit becomes dull. Think of it a bit like half an apple left out: it does not happen in an instant, but it goes that way.
As a guideline, you can reckon that an opened bottle typically keeps well for a couple of days in the fridge if you put the cork back in. This goes for both white and red. Yes, red wine is fine in the fridge too once it is opened. You can always let the glass sit for a moment on the kitchen counter before serving, so it gets a little temperature back.
Mousserende vin is the impatient type. Once the bubbles have escaped, they do not come back, and so it is freshest in the first couple of days with a good stopper that holds a little of the pressure.
Powerful red wines with a fair amount of structure can often keep a little longer than light, delicate wines. But the principle is the same: cool, closed and preferably drunk within a few days.
In short
- Store wine cool, dark and stable. A stable temperature is more important than it being very cold.
- Dark glass protects against sunlight, so place the bottles out of the light.
- Lay bottles with a natural cork down if you are keeping them for a long time. If they are going to be drunk soon, it does not matter.
- Most wines should be drunk young. Only the fuller, more structured wines benefit from ageing.
- An open bottle typically keeps for a couple of days in the fridge with the cork in.
Frequently asked questions
Can I put red wine in the fridge once the bottle is opened?
Yes. Cold slows down the change that the air sets in motion, so an opened red wine keeps best in the fridge. Take it out a little before serving, so it is not too cold in the glass.
Does the wine go bad if it has stood in the warmth for a while?
A single swing rarely ruins a bottle, but repeated heat and big temperature swings wear on the wine over time. That is why a stable, cool spot is better than one that swings.
Ready for the next step?
Now you can store your wine with peace of mind and use the rest of the bottle with a clear conscience. In the next part, Wine and food: Getting started with pairing, we look at how wine and food play together, so dinner becomes even cosier.
And remember the most important thing: the best combination is the wine you like with the food you like. Do drop by the selection and find a bottle you feel like opening tonight, or one you feel like keeping for a little while.