It’s inevitable. At some point, you’re going to open a bottle of wine and somehow not finish it all in one sitting. And when that happens, you’ll need to know how to store that wine in a way that keeps it fresh. Keep reading for tips such as using wax paper to seal your wine (seriously!).
Can you recork wine after opening?
The answer is yes, of course, you can recork wine after opening. In fact, it’s actually a good idea to do so if you’re not going to finish the bottle in one sitting. By recorking the wine, you’ll help preserve its freshness and flavor.
Is Recorking Wine safe?
Recorking wine is perfectly safe. In fact, it’s actually a good way to preserve the wine’s flavor and freshness. As long as you follow the steps below, you’ll be able to recork your wine like a pro!
How long can you keep recorked wine?
Depending on the method, you can keep recorked wine for anywhere from a few days to a few weeks. However, it’s always best to drink the entire bottle as soon as possible so you can enjoy its freshness and flavor.
How to store an open bottle of wine?
When you’re not going to finish a bottle of wine in one sitting, it’s important to store it properly. By following the tips below, you’ll be able to keep your wine fresh for days or even weeks:
– Store the bottle of wine in a cool, dark place
– If you’re not going to drink the wine within a week, then transfer it to a refrigerator
– Don’t store wine in the freezer, as this will ruin its flavor
Tell me the best way to put a cork back into a wine bottle?
The best way to put a cork back into a wine bottle is by using a vacuum sealer (or inert gas sealer if you have the budget for that). If you don’t have one of these, then keep reading to see more methods of recorking that opened bottle of wine.
How long does uncorked wine last?
How much longer wine can last after opening depends on the wine and the method used to recork it. Red wine of higher acidity can last for up to 4-5 days after opening if only recorking and not removing the air from the bottle. White wines usually last about 1 to 2 days with this method. Using vacuum sealers or inert gas methods will push that number to weeks or even months.
Wines that may Oxidize Faster
Here are some types of wines that may oxidize faster than others:
– Wines with low tannin levels
– Pinot Noir
– Young, fruity wines
Of course, the best solution to these wines is to finish them as fast as you can!
8 easy ways to recork wine
Have a quick peruse at these 8 easy ways to recork wine, so you’ll always know how to do it the right way!
Rubber stopper
A rubber stopper can be used to seal a bottle with ease. It fits inside a wine bottle and grips its insides, preventing oxidation and limiting the flow of air. It is a popular choice for those looking for an easy and affordable way to buy stoppers. You can even buy decorative wine stoppers to satisfy your inner Martha Stewart.
Cork
If you have the original cork in hand you should inspect the cork for damage before you put it back in the bottle. While synthetic corks are more sturdy than regular corks, they can still be damaged as well. When the bottle is being opened, the cork screw is not supposed to pass through the bottom. If it indeed breached the bottom, there may be an opening in the cork that allows oxygen in the bottle to escape from it. If you do find that the cork is damaged, read on.
Waxed paper
Yes, I’ve never heard of this method before today. For those stubborn corks that don’t want to get back into the wine bottle opening, this method will help. Take a piece of waxed paper and wrap the cork in it. After this, take the cork and shove the wrapped end back into the opening.
The wax paper functions similar to a lubricant, so the cork slides easier into the hole. As well since there is an extra layer of wax paper, this helps to build a tight seal.
Vacuum Pump
This is an interesting option that eliminates oxidation almost completely as long as you use it in conjunction with a vacuum sealer or plastic wrap. It is a small, manual pump that you can buy for under $20. After the bottle has been opened and you are done consuming the wine, fully insert the pump into the wine bottle. Pumping up and down will create a vacuum and remove any air from the inside of the bottle.
Transfer to a smaller container
If you have a half-sized bottle of wine lying around, you can transfer the leftover wine from your current bottle to that one. Since there will be less air and less surface area in that bottle, less oxidation will occur.
Paper towel
If you’re unable to find anything suitable to plug in or to re-store your wine, a paper towel can work! You may try it out with an empty towel, plastic wrapping paper, and tape in a pinch. The idea is to create a cork-shaped paper towel, then wrap it with plastic wrap and seal everything together with tape. Remember: if it doesn’t hold together, just use more tape!
If everything goes according to plan, the wine will be sealed and you can store it in the fridge. This method isn’t the best, but it might buy you a few more days. Another tip would be to have the Macgyver theme song playing in the background, as this increases the probability of this working.
Screwcap
Okay a bit of a cop-out and not really recorking, but this is probably the easiest method to reseal wine. If the wine that was opened had a screw cap, then closing it will be easy. But again, keep in mind that air has already entered the bottle and the wine has already started oxidizing.
Inert Gas Sealer
The last option is to buy an inert gas sealer. This nifty device creates a vacuum and then injects inert gases like argon or nitrogen into the bottle. The wine will be sealed off from oxygen and can potentially last for weeks after being opened. This method is also one of the most expensive, but the most effective.
Parting advice
Ideally, one should finish the whole bottle during the initial opening. But sometimes this isn’t feasible, especially if your party of 4 has already polished off a few bottles and there is quite a bit of wine left. The tips in this article should allow you to store that wine for as long as possible. But remember wine will start to oxidize as soon as that cork is lifted (assuming it wasn’t damaged), so resealing the wine is only a temporary solution. So don’t let it sit too long and go to waste!