We get asked this question a LOT and the answer always is – ‘it depends.’ But, let’s start with the basics:
How Long Does an UNOPENED bottle of wine last?
Over 98% of all wine produced worldwide is ready to drink when you purchase the bottle. Some wines get better with age and others don’t. We tease – ‘If you keep a bottle of 2 Buck Chuck for a few years – it WON’T turn into 3 Buck Chuck.’ Wines that have lower alcohol and pH, with higher acids and sugars, and that have been kept in cool temperature-controlled climates will generally last longer. European wines generally will hold a bit longer than California wines – however most big reds should be served within 3-8 years and most whites served within 2-5 years. Keep your wines cool, dark and still to extend their lives and listen to the winemaker’s guidance. We feel it is a form of alcohol abuse to hold wine past its prime.
We are releasing our BB4 wine for the October 2020 wine club and this wine will peak in 2-3 years. The wine has been recently bottled and will continue to develop its bottle bouquet over the next few months. For this reason, we recommend waiting to open your BB4 for a short period of time. Wine Club members who pick up next weekend (only) will receive a 2oz sample bottle with their club pickup.
If you aren’t a Wine Club member, it is a no-brainer because you are missing out on great discounts, first access to the BEST wines, limited releases and join a large community of existing wine club members who are THE BEST! Register for FREE here.
Now for the second question:
How Long does an OPENED bottle of wine last?
In my house, not very long – most of the time it doesn’t see the light of day. But sometimes you are left with an opened bottle and are unsure of how long it will last.
Our general guidance is: if you open a bottle and pour ONE glass and immediately re-cork it and store it UPRIGHT in the fridge (regardless of red or white), it should last 3-4 days.
If you open a bottle and pour TWO glasses and put it in the fridge upright, it should last 2-3 days.
If you open a bottle and pour THREE glasses it MIGHT hold till the next day.
Otherwise, you might as well drink the rest, share the rest, or make spaghetti sauce that night.
Being an amateur foodie – if it isn’t good enough to drink, DON’T cook with it!
P.S. Next week we will be talking about decanting wine which you don’t want to miss.
P.P.S If you enjoy this blog, I encourage you to subscribe to the newsletter and to share it with your wine-loving friends.