How Long Does Wine Last After Opening (And Why)?

Exact Answer: 3 to 5 days

Wine is a very famous alcoholic drink. It is made by fermentation of grapes, although other methods of its creation are also well known. Apart from grapes, yeast also plays a significant role in making wine by converting the sugar of grapes into carbon dioxide and ethanol. Thus, the type of grapes or yeasts used in the preparation of wine has a major role.

Wine companies make wine with the intention of keeping them saleable for months or years. However, when the wine bottle is opened, the wine will remain consumable for a shorter span as the effect of preservatives will diminish slowly.

How Long Does Wine Last After Opening?

There are various types of wine and each one of them has different shelf lives when sealed and when the seal is broken. This is basically a result of different varieties of grapes used in their fermentation. Usually, the wine is packed with certain preservatives to make it last longer, but when the seal is broken, the effect of preservatives diminishes making the wine last for shorter periods.

Sparkling wine is a common type of wine. It can be stored for a couple of days and for a maximum of three to four days. However, it will last better in the fridge when it will be covered with a sparkling wine stopper in place.

Light wine and rose wine are other popular types of wine and they last for a week after their bottle is opened. However, they only last for a week when in the fridge and are covered with a cork.

Full-bodied wine and Red wine also last for a period of three to five days when they are stored in some cool and dark place, preferably a fridge with a stopper in place.

On the other hand, Fortified wine and Bag in Box Wine last for approximately a month after their seal is broken on the condition that they are stored safely in a dark and cool place.

Why Wine Lasts For So Long After Opening?

The safe to consume period for a bottle of wine depends upon a wide range of factors. Among these issues, a prominent issue is whether the seal of the bottle is broken or not. If this seal is broken, the wine will last for a lot less than expected.

However, if proper measures are taken care of, there are chances of delay in its expiry and helps to extend its shelf life by a considerable extent. A few important steps that can be taken to keep the wine ready to consume for longer include keeping it in a fridge or a place that is cool and dark. At the same time, the opening of the bottle should be covered to prevent the addition of any unfavorable substance to the wine.

If the wine is stored in a place with heat and light, it would promote unwanted fermentation of the wine. This is because heat and light would lead to the growth of certain microorganisms which cause fermentation. Thus, when the wine is kept in a place that has low temperature and is dark, it tends to last longer.

On the other hand, it is also essential to cover the opening of the wine bottle. Apart from preventing unwanted substances from entering the bottle, the cork will also prevent unwanted oxygen from entering the bottle. Oxygen promotes fermentation but with the presence of cork, it will tend to last for longer.

Conclusion

Most wines last for just a couple of days after opening. However, some wines like Fortified wine and Bag in Box Wine tend to last for over a month.

For wines to last longer, it is imperative to store them in a proper place and with a cork or a stopper in place. The fridge is an appropriate place to store the wine as it has less temperature and is dark.

References

1. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0168160504003654
2. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2015.00905/full