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It is not always possible to finish an open bottle of wine to the end. In this case, the issue of proper storage of the drink becomes relevant, which at room temperature will become unusable after a few hours. First of all, you need to close the wine, but what if the cork is lost. Let’s talk about the different ways to recap a bottle and properly store open wine.
Why wine should not be kept open
Immediately after removing the cork, contact with air improves the taste and aroma of the wine. However, over time, oxygen triggers oxidation processes that adversely affect the bouquet. The drink activates strains of Acetobacter – bacteria of acetic acid. In the presence of oxygen, these microorganisms convert ethanol to vinegar, and as a result, the wine turns sour. Light and heat only speed up the processes, so at room temperature the drink quickly deteriorates.
In an open and open bottle, the wine is in intensive contact with oxygen. The cork blocks the air from entering the drink, which slows down the oxidation, but does not stop it completely.
At low temperatures, chemical reactions proceed with less intensity, so wine can keep its freshness in the refrigerator for up to three days.
Bottles should be stored vertically, as the area of contact with air increases when lying down. Do not put open containers in the door, as shaking and temperature fluctuations do not have the best effect on the freshness of the drink.
How to stopper a wine
Even with a cork, closing a bottle of wine is difficult. At factories, containers are sealed with compressed air, which is difficult to do at home. Only still wine can be closed manually, since the cork from champagne expands after removal, and it is almost impossible to install it back. To reuse the cork, try not to pierce it with a corkscrew – oxygen will penetrate through the hole, and the tightness will be broken.
A few tricks to make the task easier:
- Place the bottle on a flat, hard surface.
- Tilt the cork so that one end enters the neck and the other is on the edge.
- Rotate the cork inwards by 1 cm.
- While holding the bottle, press firmly on the cork.
Insert the cork only with the end that was already inside the bottle so that microparticles of dust from the outside do not get into the wine.
When the wood material is severely corkscrew damaged, a piece of waxed paper can help. Wrap it around one end of the cork, and then push it into the neck with a rocking motion to keep the paper from twisting.
Alternative Methods to Close Wine
The easiest way to close wine without a cork is to make a paper towel stopper. Fold the paper into a strip about 5 cm wide. Roll the towel tightly to make it look like a cork a little larger than the diameter of the neck. Secure one end with tape and wrap the plug with plastic wrap. Paper won’t save wine for long, but in a desperate situation, a makeshift cork can help out.
If you like wine tasting often, it makes sense to get special wine stoppers, which are easy to find in stores. The simplest models are made of silicone and simply put on the neck. Complex designs are equipped with a manual or automatic pump pump that pumps air out of the bottles. Now there are whole sets of wine accessories on sale, which include not only an electric vacuum stopper, but also a thermometer, an aerator to saturate the drink with oxygen, a sensory corkscrew and a drip catcher. The disadvantage of such sets is the high price.
Semi-professional systems are designed for collectors of expensive wines and make it possible to enjoy a drink without even opening a bottle. The device is put on the neck, the cork is pierced by a needle through which several glasses can be poured. The empty space is then filled with argon from a canister, and the tiny hole closes naturally. As a result, the tightness of the bottle is not broken, and the tasted drinks can be stored for years.
How long can open wine be stored
Standard types of corks, including vacuum ones, are not able to keep wine fresh for more than three days, even in the refrigerator. The bouquet changes faster in drinks with an exposure of more than 8 years, as well as varieties from Pinot Noir grapes. The shelf life of champagne is no more than one day, in the future its quality deteriorates, as the bubbles disappear. Sparkling wines must be closed with a special cork with two levers on the sides.
A working way to keep wine longer is to pour it into a small bottle. Thus, the area of contact with oxygen will be smaller, and the drink will not lose its qualities within five days. 0,3 liter bottles made of dark glass with airtight stoppers are available in all major electronic stores in the sections of accessories for home winemaking.