There are few things worse than wasting a perfectly good bottle of wine. Once you’ve popped the cork, you may feel pressured to consume it all. If you’re only going to sip from one glass before or after dinner every night, the thought of overdoing it might make you hesitate to open that bottle! Fortunately, there are some very simple wine storage tips that anyone can follow to keep their favourite bottle of wine fresh and aromatic for longer.

 

Re-cork properly

When you open the cap, you may notice that the stained side (which was inside the bottle) may not go into the neck of the bottle easily. It’s so tempting to flip the cork over and tuck the other end of the cork into place. However, the thing to remember is that the portion of the cork that has been exposed to the wine will not alter the flavour or aroma of the remaining wine. If you turn the cork upside down, the portion of the cork now exposed to the wine will have previously been exposed to all sorts of other elements. This can taint the taste of the wine in a short period of time which is why it’s such an important wine storage tip.

 

Transfer to smaller bottles

The more air your wine is exposed to, the more muted the flavour is. Then, if you have half a bottle left, transfer your wine to a smaller glass bottle and cap it. Yes, there will be some air at the top of the bottle, but not as much as in a larger bottle. This wine storage tip will help preserve the flavour of the bottle.

Store in the refrigerator

Just like food leftovers, wine leftovers should also be stored in the refrigerator. This will keep the wine from going bad as quickly as it would at room temperature. Use a Coravin

This device is often used in restaurants and bars that serve high-end wines by the glass. Instead of opening the bottle, they pierce the cork with this device, pour a glass and remove it. The bottle is filled with argon gas to prevent spoilage.

 

If you’re enjoying a bottle of wine with a friend, partner, or loved one, there’s no reason not to split the bottle. Unless one of you has to drive! Your average 750ml bottle of wine will mean that each of you will be enjoying around two and a half glasses of wine. When enjoyed with a meal, you will have something to drink before your meal and after too! If there is a minimal amount of wine left, you can always save it for cooking and other household uses as well. Proper wine storage will ensure that the bottle maintains its most delicate flavours and aromas for you to enjoy at a later stage.