Do Wine Bottles Need Refrigeration After Opening?

It's not uncommon for people who enjoy a glass of wine every now and then to end up with a half-finished bottle after a meal or a party. What happens next is what separates those truly knowledgeable about wine from the rest. A key question involves where to store the bottle, particularly whether folks need to refrigerate it. Generally, experts recommend doing so for both quality and longevity-related reasons.

The major issue with open wine bottles is oxidation. This is a broad term for a series of chemical reactions that occur when oxygen interacts with the compounds in the fermented grapes. The process alters the flavor and aroma in undesirable ways that can include producing out-of-place nutty elements, sharp vinegar notes, or general dullness.

Cold temperatures in the fridge slow down the chemical reactions that cause oxidation. This enables red wines to last three to six days before starting to degrade. Whites and rosés may hold up for two to four days, while sparkling wine simply has a few extra hours before going flat. Just keep in mind that you should never freeze wine because the liquid could expand to the point of popping a cork or bursting the bottle. Furthermore, successful storage relies on proper resealing. If you don't have a screw-top container, then you may need to reinsert a cork with the stained side down to ensure it fits. This also limits the potential to introduce contaminants into the leftover wine.

It's not impossible to preserve wine for longer than a week or so once opened. High-end devices like the dispensing systems made by Coravin can be inserted into the bottle without removing the cork. They use a narrow probe to siphon wine and refill the gap with inert gases like argon that don't cause oxidation. Thrifty wine lovers can also repurpose "demi" or half-size bottles of wine with screwtops as reasonably airtight leftover wine storage vessels. These leave less room for undesirable oxygen. (This is the same general principle behind the mason jar hack that keeps sparkling wine bubbly.)

A bit of pre-planning can also be beneficial. There are about five standard glasses' worth of wine in a bottle, although smaller and larger sizes are also available in some circumstances. This means a couple can expect to have two-and-a-half glasses each if they want to avoid leftovers, while a group of four will get a glass each, plus a little extra as a top-off. Keeping these numbers in mind could help avoid the need to refrigerate wine by not opening too many bottles to begin with.

Although there are many different types and styles of wine to dazzle your palate, there's luckily no ambiguity when it comes to whether you should keep open bottles chilled. Stick them in the fridge every time, and be mindful that you've only got a few days to enjoy them, in the best-case scenario.