How to Store Red Wine After Opening: Age Matters
Updated
How to store red wine after opening is mostly a question of oxygen. To preserve red wine after opening, consider systems that use nitrogen gas to dispense wine, preventing oxidation and premature spoilage. Wine is highly susceptible to temperature changes. Exposure to temperatures exceeding 77 °F (25 °C) for long periods can spoil wine, leading to raisiny or stewed off-flavors. Conversely, excessively cold temperatures can cause wine to freeze, expand, and potentially damage the bottle or closure, increasing oxygen exposure. Maintaining a constant, cool environment is crucial. J. Robinson in "The Oxford Companion to Wine" states that the rate of chemical reactions in wine doubles with each 18 °F (10 °C) increase in temperature. Most experts, including Jancis Robinson, recommend keeping wine at constant temperatures between 50 and 59 °F (10 and 15 °C) for optimal storage.
What is the biggest threat to opened red wine?
Oxygen exposure is the primary threat to opened red wine, and it leads to oxidation and premature spoilage. Controlled, low oxygen intake is typically required for wine to evolve and reach optimal organoleptic characteristics, according to Chanut et al. in PNAS Nexus. Excessive exposure has detrimental effects. The Australian Wine Research Institute observed that wines exposed to extreme temperatures can show oxidized and cooked characteristics. Nitrogen gas helps prevent wine from oxidation and premature spoilage in dispensing systems.
How does temperature affect opened red wine?
Temperature significantly impacts wine quality and its preservation after opening. Wine is very susceptible to changes in temperature, with temperature control being an important consideration in wine storage. Excessive storage temperatures have a marked effect on the shelf life of bottled wine, leading to rapid aging and significant deterioration, according to the Australian Wine Research Institute. Chanut et al. in PNAS Nexus confirm that the aging potential of wines is intimately conditioned by storage temperature. An increase in temperature tends to accelerate chemical reactions associated with wine aging.
If wine is exposed to too high a temperature, in excess of 77 °F (25 °C) for long periods, it may be spoiled or become "corked" and develop off-flavors that taste raisiny or stewed. Marais (1986) observed faulty flavors and decreasing overall quality after 12 months’ storage of wine at 30°C. Ough (1986) states that temperatures in excess of 40°C induce visual and sensory changes to a wine in only a matter of days. Ough (1992) further advises that any storage place where the temperature exceeds 25°C for long periods and 40°C for short periods can affect wine quality.
Conversely, wine held at temperatures that are too cold can freeze and expand, pushing out the cork or cracking the bottle. That exposes the wine to more oxygen. Temperature swings, such as repeatedly transferring a wine from a warm room to a cool refrigerator, can also cause adverse chemical reactions that may lead to various wine faults.
A relatively cool environment goes with a slower aging process, greater complexity and a more aromatic bouquet. The lower the temperature, the more slowly a wine develops. J. Robinson notes that the rate of chemical reactions in wine doubles with each 18 °F (10 °C) increase in temperature. Most experts, including Jancis Robinson, recommend keeping wine at constant temperatures between 50 and 59 °F (10 and 15 °C). Tom Stevenson speculates that 52 °F (11 °C) may be the most ideal temperature for storage and aging. Karen MacNeil recommends keeping wine intended for aging in a cool area with a constant temperature around 55 °F (13 °C). You can keep wine at temperatures as high as 69 °F (21 °C) without long-term negative effect. Professor Cornelius Ough of the University of California, Davis, believes that wine can survive 120 °F (49 °C) for a few hours without damage. Empirically, wines sit at storage temperatures around 12-16°C, as stated by Chanut et al.
A study by Chanut et al. on miniaturized bottle systems with microagglomerated corks and model wine revealed how higher temperatures impact oxygen transfer through the closure system. At 35°C, total oxygen transfer did not increase significantly for up to 9 months. Beyond this duration, a significant transfer at the glass-cork interface started to occur. At 50°C, a tremendous oxygen transfer at the glass-cork interface was noticeable from 3 months. Values approached the diffusion coefficient of oxygen in the air, indicating leakage.
| Temperature Range | Effect on Wine Quality |
|---|---|
| >77 °F (25 °C) for long periods | Spoiled, "corked", raisiny or stewed off-flavors |
| >25°C for long periods or >40°C for short periods | Can affect wine quality |
| >40°C | Induces visual and sensory changes in days |
| 30°C for 12 months | Faulty flavors and decreasing overall quality |
| 35°C for >9 months (with model wine, horizontal) | Significant oxygen transfer at glass-cork interface |
| 50°C from 3 months (with model wine, horizontal) | Tremendous oxygen transfer at glass-cork interface, indicating leakage |
| Too cold (freezing) | Wine expands, cork pushed out or bottle cracks, increased oxygen exposure |
| Temperature swings | Adverse chemical reactions, wine faults |
| 120 °F (49 °C) for a few hours | Not damaged |
| 50-59 °F (10-15 °C) constant | Recommended for storage |
| 52 °F (11 °C) | May be ideal for storage and aging |
| 55 °F (13 °C) constant | Recommended for aging wine |
| 12-16°C | Empirically considered for wine storage |
What role does the closure play in preserving opened red wine?
The closure plays a critical role in preserving wine by managing oxygen ingress. The shelf-life of bottled wines is intimately linked to cork-based closures, according to Chanut et al. in PNAS Nexus. Those closures are designed to protect wine from oxidation while allowing controlled low oxygen intakes for optimal organoleptic development. This study investigated microagglomerated cork stoppers. It found that oxygen transfer occurs both through the stopper itself and significantly at the interface between the cork and the glass bottleneck. The oxygen diffusion coefficient of the stopper alone was not modified over 24 months regardless of storage conditions. However, the presence of model wine at 20°C favored oxygen transfer at the glass-cork interface, accounting for nearly 75% of total oxygen transfer.
High storage temperatures strongly increase this transfer at the glass-cork interface, as detailed by Chanut et al. That leads to significant transfer beyond 9 months at 35°C, and tremendous transfer from 3 months at 50°C, indicating leakage. Chanut et al. attribute this leakage to changes in the stopper's mechanical properties or partial melting of its paraffin and silicone surface treatment. Cork enclosures need some degree of humidity to prevent drying out. A dry cork can allow oxygen to enter the bottle, potentially causing the wine to spoil or oxidize. This is why proper how to store wine is crucial.
We also note that alternative wine closures, other than cork, have many of the same considerations regarding temperature and light sensitivity. However, humidity and concerns about oxidation are not as pronounced with these closures. The relatively recent popularity and increased usage of these closures have not provided many opportunities for research into the storage and aging potential of wines that use them.
Does bottle orientation matter for opened red wine?
For red wine sealed with microagglomerated corks, the bottle's orientation may not significantly influence oxygen transfer. A study by Chanut et al. in PNAS Nexus looked at miniaturized bottle systems with microagglomerated corks and model wine stored at 20°C over 24 months. Neither vertical storage (cork in contact with vapor phase) nor horizontal storage (cork in contact with liquid phase) had a significant impact on oxygen transfer through the cork or at the glass-cork interface.
However, for traditional cork enclosures, most wine racks are designed for horizontal storage. The intention is to keep the cork moist through constant contact with the wine. Amon and Simpson (1986) also recommend storing bottled wine with the cork in contact with the wine in a cool, dry location. Some research from the late 1990s suggested storing bottles at a slight angle. This allows partial cork contact with the wine while keeping the air bubble formed by a wine's wine ullage levels at the top, facilitating slower oxidation. Conversely, storing a bottle completely on its side could lead to wine ejection through the cork due to temperature variations, potentially introducing oxygen.
For Champagne, the Comité Champagne states that you can keep bottles upright or on their sides in a cool place. Once opened, a bottle can stand upright or lie on its side, and neither position impacts the wine.
How do light and vibration impact opened red wine?
Both light and vibration can negatively impact wine quality, whether opened or unopened. Direct sunlight or incandescent light can react adversely with phenolic compounds in wine, creating "wine faults,". The Australian Wine Research Institute notes that light exposure affects the taste of a wine through the production of volatile sulfur compounds, known as 'lightstruck' flavor. This flavor is due to the formation of volatile sulfur compounds. Direct sunlight provides 4286 times the UV-A radiation of fluorescent lamps, according to AWRI Technical Note TN09. That makes sunlight exposure more deleterious to wine quality than electric lighting systems. Rankine (1989) indicates that amber glass is most effective in excluding wavelengths below about 450 nm. To protect wine from direct light storing wines in corrugated boxes or wooden crates in a cellar.
Regarding vibration, anecdotal information suggests it contributes to accelerated aging with adverse effects, though it remains a research area with limited data. A study cited found that vibrations of different frequencies have distinct effects on the chemistry of the wine. It concluded: "Vibration could be used to accelerate the ageing of wine, but in most cases, this may lead to negative effects on wine quality. Therefore, to store red wines with limited changes in physicochemical properties, vibrations should be minimized." Understanding the factors that affect wine quality can help you make informed decisions, whether you're evaluating a lot on the fine wine market index or calculating the Landed Cost Calculator.
Understanding these factors helps you preserve your wine. To ensure you open your bottles at their peak, check which of them are drinking now.