Does red wine expire?
Researchers around the globe suggest that having a glass of red wine sometimes is good for the body. Red wine is commonly described as a sweet flavor. It has a high level of antioxidants and helps in protecting you against heart diseases and inflammations. But you might be wondering about the shelf-life of your wine after opening the bottle or” how long does red wine last after opening?”.
The truth is wine doesn’t ever go bad, but it would start to taste different after a few days then it becomes vinegar. But if you want to know how long a red wine does last after opening, it may last for at least 3 to 5 days in a cool and dark place with the cork in it before it starts to taste nasty. The two main reasons why it gets spoiled was because the bacteria in an opened bottle of wine converts the alcohol to vinegary acetic acid. Also, the exposure to air in the wine causes the wine to lose its color and flavor. Here is other information you need to know:
What would happen to the red wine after you uncork it?
Before you open a red wine or cork a wine, any remaining air is eliminated from the bottle with nitrogen or argon which are known as inert compound gas so that the bottle would have less than 1 part per million (PPM) of oxygen. So once you open a bottle of red wine, it would be exposed to a rush of oxygen. As you open it, the wine begins to age faster than it was when it was stored and uncorked.
Upon opening a bottle of wine, a process called aeration begins which leads to oxidation. As time passes, it will start losing its aromas, flavor, and even color. Uncorking it causes a loss of Sulphur dioxide that helps in the preservation of the wine. The process will continue even if it will be corked because the oxygen has already entered the bottle.
What are the three kinds of red wine and how long does it last?
- Light red wine: Wines like Lambrusco, Pinot Noir, Gamay, Barbera, and Grenache are known as light red wines. Usually, this kind of wine stays fresh for 2 to 3 days only because it has lower alcohol contents from around 12.5% or less. Also, it has only a small amount of tannins so the flavor of the wine as well as its aroma will fade immediately compared to medium or full-bodied red wine.
- Medium red wine: Some examples of medium red wines are Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Nebbiolo, and Shiraz. This kind of red wine may last longer than light red wine for 3 to 5 days after corking. It may have 12.5% to 13.5% of alcohol content and has a higher tannin level than light red wine.
- Full-bodied red wine: Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Malbec, and Zinfandel are some examples of open full-bodied red wine. This kind of wine can keep its freshness, flavor, and aroma for 4 to 6 days that has 13.5 or more alcohol content. Also, it has the most tannins among the 3 kinds of red wine.
Does wine have an expiration date?
Wines are not like normal foods and milk with expiration dates. It’s not harmful even if it wouldn’t be consumed immediately within the span of its freshness. It may lose its flavor, taste, aroma, and color but if you can still enjoy drinking it you may have it.
How to store an opened bottle of red wine?
A bottle of red wine must be stored in a cool dark place, or you may gradually pour it into a smaller bottle and seal it. This will help you to decrease the amount of oxygen that may enter the bottle. It may also be placed in a refrigerator. The colder the temperature the better because it will slow down the oxygenation. Refrigerators are set colder than the way you wish to drink your wines so you may remove it first on the fridge and wait for 20 to 30 minutes to get it to room temperature or it may depend on what temperature you want to drink it. In addition, you may keep a bottle of wine in your fridge for 6 months if you want to consider putting wine on any dishes or recipes you wish to cook.
Here are some ways in storing opened wine:
Make sure to seal the bottle.
You can either use the original cork or seal the bottle with a screw cap and rubber bottle stopper. It would help you to slow down the oxidation process. You may also try to use a wine vacuum pump gadget to suck the air out of an opened bottle of wine.
Place it at a controlled temperature
Red wine storage temperature may vary but the ideal is around 55 Fahrenheit because it is cooler than room temperature.
Place it in a dark place away from light
The UV rays from the direct sunlight may increase the damage to the wine’s flavor or aroma so it is required to place it often in a dark place.
Decant the wine to a smaller bottle
A smaller bottle will help you minimize the oxidation due to lesser space. By doing this, you can extend the life of the opened red wine.
In case of spilled wine, here is how to get red wine out of carpet!
Sources:
https://www.vinography.com/2020/12/how-long-does-a-bottle-of-wine-last-after-it-is-opened
https://www.vinovest.co/blog/how-long-does-red-wine-last#link-1
https://www.articleinsider.com/how-to-get-red-wine-out-of-carpet/
