Leftover Wine

As soon as the cork is pulled, wine begins to deteriorate. This deterioration extracts from the quality of the wine, making it lose much of its flavor and aroma. For this reason, leftover wine can only be stored for about three days before it has lost much of its original quality. Although methods of delaying this deterioration including vacuum pumps, nitrogen injections, and decanting are widely used, refrigerating often works just as well or better. Leave the wine in its original bottle, cork it and place in a dark, cool refrigerator. Remember that the majority of wines produced for the general population are meant to last no longer than one or two years. Champagnes and sparkling wines are best sealed with a bottle stopper and can be enjoyed right out of the refrigerator much like white wines. It is best to allow leftover red wine to warm before drinking. Keep in mind that older wines will lose their composition much quicker than younger wines.