Wine
Opened wine keeps 3 to 5 days resealed and chilled, sparkling only 1 to 3. Unopened, most wines keep one to three years.
Unopened and opened — two questions
With wine, separate two questions: unopened and opened. Unopened, most everyday wines keep comfortably for one to three years; simple whites and rosés are better drunk young, while good, tannic reds can age for years. Only a small share of wine is made for long cellaring — for the great majority, the rule is not to keep it too long.
Once opened, wine starts to oxidise through contact with air. Recorked and refrigerated, white and red wine then keep about three to five days before aroma and freshness fade noticeably. Sparkling wine loses its fizz faster and tastes flat after one to three days — a sparkling stopper helps a little. Red wine benefits from the fridge too: cold slows oxidation, and you simply let it warm up briefly before drinking.
Wine rarely becomes "bad" in the sense of unsafe — mostly it becomes undrinkable in taste. Oxidised wine tastes flat and vinegary; a corked wine smells musty, like wet cardboard. Neither is a safety problem, but both are clear reasons not to drink the bottle — at most to cook with it, as long as the fault is not too strong.
How long an opened wine really tastes good also depends on the wine itself: bold, tannic reds and full-bodied whites keep a little longer than light, delicate wines that lose their freshness fast. If you only drink a glass, decant the rest into a smaller bottle filled to the brim — the less air in the bottle, the slower the wine oxidises. That keeps the second or third evening enjoyable too.
How do I spot bad wine?
Spoiled wine shows in smell, colour and taste:
If the wine smells or tastes sharp and sour like vinegar, it has oxidised and is done.
White wine turning brownish, or red going dull-brown and cloudy, has taken in too much air.
A musty smell of wet cardboard or cellar points to a faulty cork. The wine is not toxic, but undrinkable.
Shelf life at a glance
State and type decide between days and years:
| State | Shelf life |
|---|---|
| Unopened, cool & dark | 1–3 years (most wines) |
| White/rosé, opened | 3–5 days (chilled) |
| Red, opened | 3–5 days (cool) |
| Sparkling, opened | 1–3 days |
Store it right
The right storage keeps wine at its best longest:
Cool and dark — a steady 50 to 57 °F (10–14 °C), away from light and heat; big swings do harm.
On its side for natural cork — so the cork does not dry out and let air in; screw-cap bottles can stand.
Reseal and chill once opened — recork or use a vacuum pump and put it in the fridge.
Use the leftovers — cook with an opened wine rather than pouring it away.
Common myths
A few myths surround wine:
Only a few wines. Most everyday wines are best young and decline over time.
No — red also keeps longer in the fridge. Let it warm briefly before drinking.
No, just unpleasant. The wine is not toxic but smells musty and does not belong in the glass.
Leftovers need not go down the drain: freeze leftover wine in ice-cube trays and use it in portions for cooking — sauces, risotto or braises. That way even an opened remnant is not wasted.