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Once you’ve popped the cork, the countdown begins for leftover wine’s fleeting shelf life.

If you failed to finish that excellent award-winning, high Tim Atkin’s Report-scoring wine (for whatever weird reason), then you are surely going to want to keep it as fresh as possible for the next tipple time.

No need to pour that delicious excess red, white or bubbly down the drain, since leftover wine can be saved, sometimes for as long as a week.

While each varietal has its own unique storage needs, there are essential guidelines that every wine enthusiast should follow to prolong the life of their favourite bottles, per CNET.

Once a bottle of wine remains open for more than the few hours it takes to breathe and decant, its quality starts to decline. That’s why it’s vital to take steps to preserve its longevity if you want to enjoy the remaining liquid before it turns into vinegar.

First up to answer that burning question about keeping red wine in the fridge. It should keep the wine fresh for longer, up to five days, but just make sure to let it come back down to an appropriate serving temperature before drinking.

Sparkling wine can last in the fridge for one to three days.

“Sparkling wines lose their coronation quickly after opening,” stresses Rachel Thralls, a certified sommelier and wine education consultant. “A traditional method sparkling wine such as Cava or Champagne (which have more atmospheres of pressure, aka more bubbles) will last a little longer than a tank method sparkling wine like Prosecco.”

You can easily invest in a sparkling wine stopper to keep the bubbles from bursting.

Then, when it comes to light white, sweet white, and rosé wines, they can last in the fridge for up to five days.

“Most light white and rosé wines will be drinkable for up to a week when stored in your refrigerator with a cork,” advises Thralls. ” You’ll notice the taste will change subtly after the first day as the wine oxidizes. The overall fruit character of the wine will often diminish, becoming less vibrant.”

A full-bodied white wine, on the other hand, will last for around three days in the fridge.

“Full-bodied white wines such as oaked Chardonnay and Viognier tend to oxidize more quickly, because they see more oxygen during their pre-bottling aging process,” explains Thralls. “Be certain to always keep them corked and in the fridge. If you drink a lot of this type of wine, it’s a really smart idea to also invest in vacuum caps.”

Similarly, red wine will last in the fridge for up to five days, but make it three to be safe.

“Red wines can be stored in a cool, dark place with a cork or in your wine fridge or refrigerator,” says Thralls. “The more tannin and acidity the red wine has, the longer it tends to last after opening.”

For example, a lower tannin wine like Pinot Noir won’t last as long as rich reds like Cabernet Sauvignon.

“Some wines will even improve after the first day open,” Thralls adds. “If you don’t have a wine fridge, your regular fridge is better than letting the wine sit out in a 70-degree room. Just take the red wine out about 10 minutes before you want a glass so it warms up a little. The red wine will also open up in the glass.”

Of course, it helps if you’re storing the kind of quality wine that is meant to be luxuriated in. We can’t help but recommend the six wines within the Anthonij Rupert Wyne portfolio that scored an impressive 90+ out of a possible 100 points in Tim Atkin’s annual review of South African wines.

The coverted 2024 South African Special Report is compiled by Tim Atkin, who is a British Master of Wine as well as an accomplished, widely-travelled commentator. So yeah, you can take his word for it.

A couple of the best wines from Anthonij Rupert Wyne did sterlingly, which means they probably won’t even make it to the storage phase.

 

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In the white wine department, there’s the Cape of Good Hope Serruria Chardonnay 2023 with 93 (out of 100) points, the Cape of Good Hope Van Lill Chenin Blanc 2023 with 93 points, the Cape of Good Hope Riebeeksrivier Chenin Blanc 2023 with 92 points.

As for reds, the Cape of Good Hope Riebeeksrivier Syrah 2020 has made a name for itself with a score of 92, while the Anthonij Rupert Optima 2020 scored 91 alongside the Anthonij Rupert Syrah 2019.

That’s quite the lineup!

Shop the high-scoring wines on the Anthonij Rupert Wyne website – and if you find yourself with any leftover wine, don’t forget to store it properly!

[source:cnet]