Q&A: Wine & Food Questions
Red Wine
After opening a bottle of red wine, should it be refrigerated or can it be recorked and stay at room temperature? And how long is it good after opening?
Answer From Expert Roger C. Bohmrich, MW
This is a popular question for good reason as many people wonder what to do with an open bottle. Some people refrigerate both open white and red wines; I prefer not to wait until a red reaches room temperature again the next day. You can use any one of many "evacuation" devices (small pumps and stoppers) that remove some of the air for a short period, or you can buy a canister of inert gas and a stopper. There are many such products on the market, and most cost $20 or less. As to how long a wine is good after opening, there is no simple rule. Many young, powerful red wines are actually better - more open and revealing - the next day, or even the third day. Most wines, however, tend to deteriorate within a few days.
About The Expert
Roger has enjoyed a lengthy career in the wine trade as an importer and retailer, and at present he is an educator, speaker and consultant. He set up and managed Millesima USA, a New York merchant affiliated with Europe's leader in direct sales of fine wines to consumers. Previously, he served as senior executive of Frederick Wildman & Sons, traveling regularly around the world to visit wineries and taste the new vintage from barrel. Roger became one of America's first Masters of Wine in 1993.
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