How Long Can You Keep Unopened Wine?

How long can you keep unopened wine? The answer hinges on controlling its storage environment, with temperature, light, humidity, and bottle orientation being the most impactful factors. While most wine is consumed within 24 hours of purchase, fine wines are often set aside for long-term storage. Wine is one of the few commercial products that can improve in flavour and value with age. It can also rapidly deteriorate if kept in inadequate conditions. The Australian Wine Research Institute (AWRI) recommends that bottled wine be stored with the cork in contact with the wine. The location should be cool (15-20°C) and dry, as cited by Amon and Simpson (1986). Understanding these conditions is crucial for preserving your investment and ensuring your wine reaches its optimal drinking window.

What is the ideal temperature for storing unopened wine?

Maintaining a constant, cool temperature is paramount for preserving your wine. Excessive storage temperatures significantly affect the shelf life of bottled wine. They lead to rapid ageing and deterioration, as noted by AWRI and AWRI Technical Note TN09. Marais (1986) observed faulty flavours and decreasing overall quality after 12 months of wine storage at 30°C. Temperatures exceeding 40°C can induce visual and sensory changes in a wine in only a matter of days, according to Ough (1986). In general, any storage place where the temperature exceeds 25°C for long periods can affect wine quality. The same holds where it exceeds 40°C for short periods, Ough (1992) states.

Thermal cycling, where temperature varies significantly, should be avoided, Hirlam (2019a,b) notes. Such fluctuations can cause wine leakage or cork movement due to thermal expansion. That affects appearance and marketability, even if not necessarily the wine's quality, AWRI explains. The rate of chemical reactions in wine doubles with each 10°C increase in temperature. A wine has a greater potential to develop complexity and a more aromatic bouquet. Slow ageing in a relatively cool environment brings that potential out.

Here are some specific temperature recommendations from experts:

Expert/Source	Recommended Temperature Range
Amon and Simpson (1986), cited by AWRI	15-20°C (cool, dry location)
Jancis Robinson, cited	10-15°C (constant)
Tom Stevenson, cited	11°C (most ideal, speculated)
Karen MacNeil, cited	Around 13°C (cool area, constant)
Comité Champagne	10-15°C (constant)
Professor Cornelius Ough, cited	Up to 49°C for a few hours (not damaged)

Note that we also state wine can be stored at temperatures as high as 21°C without long-term negative effect.

How does light exposure affect wine quality?

Protecting your wine from light is critical, as exposure can significantly impact its quality. Light exposure can affect the taste of a wine by producing volatile sulfur compounds, known as 'lightstruck' flavour, AWRI states. Maujean and Seguin (1983) demonstrated that 'lightstruck' flavour is due to the formation of volatile sulfur compounds, derived from sulfur-containing amino acids. Riboflavin (vitamin B2) is present in low levels in musts and wines. It undergoes photo-activation when exposed to light at wavelengths of 370 nm and 440 nm. That reaction leads to these compounds, AWRI Technical Note TN09 explains.

Light-bodied white wines are most vulnerable to light exposure. For this reason, they are often packaged in tinted wine bottles. Wines in clear, light green, and blue bottles are most susceptible and may require extra storage precautions. Dozon and Noble (1989) exposed still white wines bottled in green glass to fluorescent lamps. They found a statistically significant lightstruck flavour after 31.1 hours. The same wines in clear glass developed it after only 3.3 hours. Amber glass is most effective in excluding wavelengths below about 450 nm, Rankine (1989) indicates, as cited by AWRI Technical Note TN09. Storing wines in corrugated boxes or wooden crates can protect them from direct light.

What role does humidity play in wine storage?

Humidity is an important factor, particularly for wines sealed with natural corks. Some degree of humidity is required to prevent cork enclosures from drying out. If a cork begins to dry out, it can allow oxygen to enter the bottle and fill the ullage space. That can cause the wine to spoil or oxidize. AWRI notes that wines under natural closures can dry out and leakage can occur if the air is too dry. However, in most storage facilities, humidity is not adjusted, AWRI adds. We cite Jancis Robinson, who notes that 75% humidity is often cited as ideal. However, there is little significant research to definitively establish an optimal range. Tom Stevenson recommends against keeping wine in a refrigerator, as the refrigeration process often includes dehumidifying. That can quickly dry out corks. Alexis Lichine recommends spreading half an inch of gravel on a cellar floor. Sprinkling it periodically with water maintains optimal humidity.

Research by Chanut et al. (2023) indicates that relative humidity above 50% is required for good elasticity of cork-based closures. However, relative humidity above 80% has been found to increase the risk of mildew formation on the outer surface of cork. Climate-controlled wine storage maintains moderate humidity levels (55-75%) to avoid these problems and assist in optimum wine development. For more on fill levels, consult our guide on wine ullage levels explained.

Should you store wine bottles upright or on their side?

The orientation of your wine bottles during storage depends on the closure type and the wine itself. For most still wines with corks, traditional advice suggests storing bottles on their side. That keeps the cork moist and prevents it from drying out. However, Mas et al. (2002) investigated the impacts of different alignments on bottles sealed with six different closures for a white and red wine. As a general rule, after 24 months, wines stored upright had higher yellow/brown colour than those stored horizontally. However, the differences were not significant, AWRI reports. Skouroumounis et al. (2005) tracked a wooded Chardonnay and Riesling wine across a 60-month period. They found that bottle orientation (horizontal or upright) had little effect on the chemical composition and sensory properties, AWRI states.

A study by Chanut et al. (2023) on microagglomerated corks examined the storage position of the bottle. Vertical put the cork in contact with the vapor phase of the model wine, horizontal with the liquid phase. Position did not influence the oxygen transfer through the cork itself or at the glass-cork interface over a 24-month period at 20°C. This study used a model wine solution.

For Champagne and other sparkling wines, the advice differs. Champagne is often recommended to be stored upright rather than lying on its side. The internal pressure from trapped carbonic gas provides enough humidity and protection from oxygen. Caterer Magazine claims the Comité Interprofessionnel du Vin de Champagne (CIVC) shares this preference for upright storage. The CIVC found that Champagne stored on its side aged more quickly due to oxygen seepage after corks lost elasticity.

However, the Comité Champagne itself states that bottles "can be stored upright or on their sides" in a cool place, at a constant temperature of between 10 and 15°C. The Comité Champagne also states that Champagne "will, however, keep well for several years if stored on its side in a cool, dark, draft-free place, following the three golden rules of Champagne storage: Constant, low ambient temperature (around 10 °C/50 °F) Generous humidity No direct exposure to sunlight, noise or excessive vibration." For more on this region, explore our Champagne producer atlas.

How do closures and oxygen transfer impact wine aging?

The closure system, particularly the interface between the cork and the glass bottle, plays a significant role in how oxygen enters the wine. A study by Chanut et al. (2023) investigated the evolution of oxygen barrier properties of the bottleneck-stopper system. It used microagglomerated corks and a model wine solution.

The study found that the oxygen diffusion coefficient of the cork stopper alone was not modified over a 24-month period. That held regardless of the storage conditions: presence of model wine, storage position, or temperature. However, the presence of model wine significantly affected the total oxygen transfer. That total includes transfer through the stopper and at the glass-cork interface. In the presence of model wine, the total oxygen diffusion coefficient for the bottleneck-stopper system was significantly higher after 3 months of storage at 20°C. It nearly doubled compared to conditions without model wine. Chanut et al. (2023) attribute this increase to the oxygen transfer at the glass-cork interface. That accounted for nearly 70% of the total oxygen transfer.

High storage temperatures also had a strong impact on oxygen transfer at the glass-cork interface:

• At 20°C, oxygen barrier properties remained unchanged over 24 months.
• At 35°C, a significant transfer at the glass-cork interface started to occur after 9 months of storage.
• At 50°C, this shift occurred within the first 3 months of storage. That led to tremendous oxygen transfer at the interface, approaching the diffusion coefficient of oxygen in the air and indicating leakage, Chanut et al. (2023) found.

This increased transfer at higher temperatures could be due to a partial melting of the paraffin and silicone surface treatment agent on the cork stopper. A modification of the stopper's mechanical properties may also explain it, Chanut et al. (2023) suggest. The study emphasizes that the glass-cork interface is a major pathway for oxygen entry into bottled wines. It is important to remember that this study used a model wine solution and microagglomerated corks. Further investigation is needed before transferring these results to real wine bottles, Chanut et al. (2023) state.

What about vibrations during storage?

Anecdotal information suggests that vibrations contribute to accelerated ageing with adverse effects. This remains a research area with relatively little data. A study by Chung et al. (2008) found that vibrations of different frequencies had distinct effects on the chemistry of red wine. It concluded that "vibrations should be minimized" to limit changes in physicochemical properties. also mentions that recent studies have shown that vibrations experienced during bottle transport can impart sensory modifications. Champagne from a shipwreck lay immersed in a vibration-free, anoxic, and isothermal marine environment for nearly two centuries. Its good preservation highlights the intrinsic qualities of such conditions for long-term wine preservation, Jeandet et al. (2015) found, as cited by Chanut et al. (2023).

How can you tell if your wine is still fine or improving?

Knowing when your wine is ready to drink or if it still has potential to improve is key to maximizing your enjoyment and investment. Visual assessments can be made to look for signs of leakage, closure damage, wine travel or seepage on corks, increased ullage, and label damage, AWRI explains. Wines exposed to extreme temperatures tend to lose their fresh fruity characters and show more developed fruit characters. At extreme levels of temperature exposure, oxidised and cooked characteristics can be observed, AWRI adds.

For white wines, chemical analysis includes colour development (yellow/brown colour measured by OD420) and free and total SO2 levels. For red wines, chemical analysis includes spectral measurements for colour and phenolics, as well as free and total SO2 levels, AWRI states. Typically, sensory analysis involves assessment of two dozen of the damaged stock. The comparison runs against two dozen of the same wine not exposed to extreme conditions, AWRI reports.

To help you decide when to open your bottles, we provide specific guidance on wines entering their drinking window.

Knowing the optimal moment to open your fine wines ensures you experience them at their peak.