How to preserve wine once it has been opened

At Bodegas Murillo Viteri we know for sure: the best thing you can do with an open bottle of wine is to drink it. Even so, we are sure that more than once you have had to keep an open bottle of wine. Wine is a living element in constant evolution, so it is important to know how to preserve wine once it has been opened.

It is commonly known that wine improves with the passing of time and that it has a great capacity to keep for long periods of time. But this will happen as long as the bottle remains closed and in optimal conditions. To find out how to preserve it, take a look at our Guide to preserving and storing wine at home. As Iñaki Murillo, the winery’s oenologist, explains, “once the bottle is uncorked, the wine will begin to deteriorate over time due to exposure to oxygen”.

Oxidation, or exposure to oxygen in the air, can make an open wine undrinkable and spoil it completely. How long wine will last in good condition once the bottle is opened varies depending on the type of wine, but here are some tips on how to keep wine for several days once it has been opened:

Keep the wine cold

If you know beforehand that there is going to be wine left over, do not leave it open on the table. Our recommendation is to serve the wine in a decanter and put the cap back on the bottle and put it in the fridge. You can also leave the bottle of wine open in a dry and cool area of the house, as long as it does not exceed 22º. This measure prevents the oxidation process of the open wine from accelerating.

Keep the bottle tightly closed

It is important that you close the bottle as soon as you finish using it. To preserve the wine once it has been opened, cap it using its own cork. In case it is damaged, you can use a special wine stopper. The important thing is that it is well sealed and that no air gets in. As a curiosity, the custom of putting a spoon in the bottles of cava or sparkling wine is a myth, it is useless as the gas escapes anyway ;).

Protect the wine from light

Try to place the wine in a dark place, as light is one of its greatest enemies (especially sunlight). Exposure to light can negatively affect the taste of the wine and its conservation.

Store wine upright

Contrary to closed bottles, to preserve wine once it has been opened, you should keep the bottle upright. In this way, the surface of contact that the wine has with the air is smaller. We also recommend moving it as little as possible.

Use wine accessories

If you have the good habit of enjoying a glass every day and you usually have several bottles to consume at home, you are a real winelover. And as such, we recommend you to get some specialised tools for closures and conservation. The world of wine accessories is infinite. A good option is to get a stopper that incorporates a vacuum pump for air extraction. Inert gas injectors or opening without removing the stopper are other options for preserving wine once it has been opened.

Follow these tips for preserving opened bottles of wine and you will be able to enjoy a good Rioja wine for longer. Even so, bear in mind that you will not make the life of your wines infinite, but it will allow you to enjoy it in better conditions for a few days. The last tip to prevent an open bottle of wine from spoiling is simple: drink it!

Bodegas Murillo Viteri – DOCa Rioja Wines