Once you open a bottle of wine and you pour a glass or two, you want to make sure that the rest does not go to waste. If you host a dinner party or any other event, you will also find that there will be open wine leftover. Don’t throw it away just because the bottle has been opened. Here are some essential tips to help you store that open bottle just right so as to preserve the flavour of your wine.

Re-cork the bottle

The first thing you want to do in order to preserve an open wine bottle is to re-insert the cork. Now, you will notice that the cork has two ends. One end that was previously inside the bottle and the other side that was on the exterior. Make sure that you place the cork back inside just as it was before. This is because, the part that was in contact with external elements may have absorbed certain aromas which can taint the flavour of your wine if the cork is inserted the wrong way around.

Pour into smaller bottles

If your current bottle is less than half full, you can pour the contents of the open wine bottle into a smaller bottle for storage. This will reduce the amount of air that the wine is exposed to and it will help better preserve the flavour and aroma.

Keep chilled in the fridge

Whether you have a bottle of red or white wine, you should always store it in the fridge once the bottle is opened. When you keep open wine at room temperature, it will slowly start to degrade and break down. Cooler temperatures slow down this process meaning that you can keep the wine for that much longer.

Use a Coravin

This is a fantastic tool to keep in your home if you open wine regularly. You will usually see it used in fancy restaurants and it is used on the higher priced bottles. Instead of removing the cork, it is pierced to allow the wine to flow out. When removed, the bottle is topped up with argon gas which prevents the wine from spoiling.

Finally, when you open wine for yourself or your guests, make sure that you only open as needed. Your average bottle of wine will provide 4 – 6 guests with one glass each. This depends on the type of wine since red wine is often served in smaller quantities than white. Only once the bottle is reaching its end should you open the next one. If the evening is nearing a close, check with your guests if they would like more wine before simply popping the cork.