The Best Way to Preserve an Open Bottle of Wine Food Containers & Storage (Image credit: Jayme Henderson) If you are anything like me or my friends, deciding what to do with an unfinished bottle of wine is a problem that rarely arises. But maybe you had a few people over for a dinner party, or maybe you are a light drinker, or maybe you just wanted to open both a red and a white for pairing options. Regardless of the scenario, we all want that opened bottle of wine to taste as fresh and delicious tomorrow, as it does this evening. Here's how to make sure that happens. It's All About Oxygen As soon as you uncork a bottle, oxygen begins to interact with the wine, changing its composition over time. At first, oxygen encourages a wine to open up, releasing its aromas and softening any harsh tannins. This is why we swirl wine in our glasses or decant or even aerate. Wine exposed to oxygen for an extended period of time, however, degrades and slowly turns to vinegar.

So, how long do you have? For most wines, you basically have two days of optimal drinking. Some wines can stretch until three days, but if you have a bottle that has been open a little longer, and it tastes fine to you, enjoy it! blue valentine flowersThose same attributes that make a wine age-worthy (high acidity, high sugar, or high tannin) also prolong the shelf-life once opened. where can i buy denbies wineFor example, a high-acid, sweet Riesling or a dense, tannic Cabernet will maintain their characteristics longer than a low-acid, flabby Chardonnay or delicate Pinot Noir.best wine china 2015 What is the easiest thing you can do to preserve your open bottle? wine for cats real

Quickly and tightly cork the bottle and stick it in the fridge, even if it's red. Refrigeration slows down the process of oxidation. 3 Ways to Further Extend Your Open Bottle's Lifebest types of french wine 1. Reduce the Oxygen.buy korean rice wine The easiest and cheapest means of doing this is simply transferring your leftover wine into a smaller vessel. I keep a couple empty half-bottles around for just this occasion, but glass container or jar will do. There are also a couple of products on the market that function in a similar fashion, each uniquely keeping oxygen away. Vin Edge Wine Preserver, $30 Savino Wine Preservation Decanter, $30-60 2. Remove the Oxygen. Another option is to use a device that extracts the air from the bottle of wine, removing the oxygen, creating a vacuum. This is most commonly accomplished with a pump device.

Vacuvin Wine Saver, $10-20 Waring Wine Opener and Vacuum Sealer, $40 3. Replace the Oxygen. This refers to replacing the oxygen in the bottle with an inert gas, most commonly, Argon. This gas is non-reactive and is frequently added to freshly bottled wines to prevent oxidation. The most common and cheapest means of blanketing the wine with Argon is an aerosol spray. One new device that demands attention is the Coravin system. Wine is extracted without ever encountering oxygen, allowing for an open bottle shelf-life of up to six months. Private Preserve Inert Gas Aerosol, $14 Coravin 1000 Wine Access System, $300 More on Preservation and Leftover Wine Why I Always Have a Box of Wine in my Refrigerator 10 Delicious Ways to Use up Leftover Wine After the Party: 6 Ways to Use Leftover Wine → Do you have any specific questions about how long you can keep your opened bottles of sparkling wine, dessert wine, tawny port, or aged Madeira? Ask me a question in the comments, and I will write a reply.

In most long-term relationships, sooner or later it comes time to meet the parents. It’s a time-honored tradition that makes many commitment-phobic men squirm, as it usually represents a point in the relationship when things take a turn for the serious. It’s also a perfect opportunity to make a good first impression with two of the most important people in your partner’s life. Typically, dinner at their place is the setting for such an occasion. I’m going to be blunt here: Only schlubs show up to their partner’s parents’ house for dinner empty handed. Do so and prepare to be judged accordingly. A small token, usually consumable, is table stakes. It shows that you’re a thoughtful and put-together young man who takes the time and effort to show your appreciation and sends a message that you know how to dance the unspoken but ever-present dance of parental approval. Bringing a dessert is nice, but preferences vary too widely to cover everyone’s tastes and if it’s left uneaten it will eventually spoil.

Bringing a bottle or two of wine is a total adult move. It lends an air of sophistication and whether they drink wine or not, it will never go to waste, even if they re-gift it or use it at a later time. But an impressive tipple doesn’t have to break the bank. We talked to five wine experts all over the country, from wine makers to award-winning sommeliers to authors and more to ask them their favorite nationally available bottles under $40 that are sure to impress the parents. With quality bottles actually available in this price range, you should have plenty of money left over to pick up a chocolate babka, too (or cinnamon if you’re in a pinch.) “It has a deep dark ruby color. This is not a Pinot Noir for the faint of heart. It is a full-bodied, deep dark fruit, with great structure all over your palate.” “One of my favorite summer wines and very inexpensive. The bouquet has beautiful notes of citrus, apple, and peach. It is juicy and soft on the palate with nice acidity to balance the wine.”

“Robustly fruity and youthful. Bursting with black currant, black cherries, and berries, this is an easy drinking fruit-forward Cabernet. There is a bit of spice and a chalky minerality intertwined with the big, bold Paso Robles fruit.” “This was ranked as one of the New York Times Top Domestic Wines Under $20 and it is very deserving of this title. This wine is coming from Chris Brockway, a rising rockstar of a winemaker, whose other label, Broc Cellars, goes for a higher price. Together, with fellow winemaker Brian Terrizzi of the winery Giornata, they offer us the Broadside project. These are their wines priced for the people, priced to drink and enjoy and not break the bank. We love these super value wines! Who doesn’t want a great Cabernet without the price tag?” “On the nose inviting aromas of herbs, supported by a characteristic white peppery spiciness, followed by fresh cut orchard fruit (green apple/pear). Racy and crisp on the palate, yet beautifully balanced.

Bone dry and refreshing.” “This particular Gruner has been a part of The Boarding House by the glass program since the very beginning! The vintages have obviously changed, and each is consistently delicious! If we ever removed this as a BTG option [by the glass], there would be a revolt amongst the staff! This is a go-to favorite of our sommeliers for food pairings, as well as a go to drink at the end of a long shift. Fred Loimer’s Gruner Veltliner is an affordable, great wine that is easy to bring to a gathering or on a BYOB date because it is so versatile amongst food, but drinks very well on its own and is pleasing to numerous white wine drinkers, from the Pinot Grigio lover to the Chardonnay drinker. You simply cannot go wrong.” “One of the best expressions of Syrah as it illustrates its expected ‘masculine’ characteristics. The nose exhibits intense aromas of blackberry, smoke, chocolate and bacon fat with a rich mouthfeel yet supple and silky tannins. This is an example of a rich robust red wine that goes well with steak, lamb and wild game, or with an aged cheddar cheese but equally well on its own.”

“This is one of the best California Chardonnays because it is made with minimal intervention (typically very opposite of most chardonnays) and illustrates the uniqueness of the highly fashionable wines coming from the Central Coast region. The nose (aromas of honey, pineapple with toasted almonds) is suggestive of a warmer climate, yet the lively acidity, freshness and moderate body which is more often associated with a cool-climate wine. Pairs well with grilled or broiled wild salmon or skin-on poultry,  or pork chop. It goes equally well with vegetarian based option such as risotto, wild mushroom and cheese ravioli or linguini pasta tossed in a butter or cream sauce. Can pair well with a bloomy rind type of cheese.” “It’s 100% Tempranillo [a type of grape] from vines aged between 20 and 60 years old grown at high altitude between 800 and 900 meters. This gives the wine an incredible focus and you can really taste the chalky minerality from the subsoil. It has flavors of red plum, blackberries and grilled meat.

It sees new French oak aging which compliments the concentrated power with hints of vanilla, cedar, smoke and cinnamon. I really enjoy this wine with a cut of dry aged beef grilled over apple wood or charcoal. Dry aged beef always has an intense richness and nuttiness and the power and acidity of this wine will cut through that and the grilled meat and smoke from the grill will compliment well the hints of cedar and smoke in the wine.” “This 100% Verdejo wine is produced from vines aging around 15 years old and is an incredible value. Marques de Riscal is responsible in a major way for the rebirth of the Rueda region to focus on old vine Verdejo and adopt more modern wine making techniques. This wine has great citrus aromas of lemon, mandarin orange, along with tropical hints of green papaya and herbal notes of fennel and fresh grass. It’s the perfect wine to accompany a dry rub barbeque pork sandwich with an apple and fennel cole slaw topping and freshly grilled corn on the cob sprinkled with a little cotija cheese!”

“Quality Napa Cabernet aged in new French oak for under $30 is not common. This is the first release for this label but it is off to a good start. Price-to-quality counts even in the exclusive world of cult Napa Cabs, and Endgame stands up to some of the most classic examples. Drink it now or cellar for 7-10 years.” “California sparkling wine is no longer about Cooks and Korbel — there is a revolution taking place in American wineries when it comes to sparkling wine. If you were to take a poll from some of the more progressive winemakers in California, chances are they either have an experimental bubbles project in the cellar or, they are planning on starting one this year. It’s difficult to make a good value sparkling wine, but Oh Snap! is one that goes head to head with some of the best Spanish Cava and Italian Prosecco. It’s got a slight baker’s yeast aroma with pops of pear candy and a gentle fizz on the palate. So there you have it. Five reds and five whites, personally recommended for Primer readers by some of the country’s foremost wine experts, all well under $40 per bottle.