Dear Dr. Vinny,
Should I refrigerate a bottle of red wine after opening it? I say yes, but my friends tell me I should never refrigerate red wine.
—John, Punta Gorda, Fla.
Dear John,
If you want to preserve a bottle of wine once it’s open—no matter what color or style—I always recommend putting it in the refrigerator. Keeping your open bottle cold will slow down oxidation, which can make a wine’s flavors fade, seem dull, and take on undesirable nutty or stewed notes. While a kitchen refrigerator isn’t an ideal place to store unopened bottles in the long term—it’s too cold, and the corks can dry out—it’s the perfect spot for opened bottles.
How long will your bottle stay fresh? Younger wines will fade slower than older wines, and of course, your own sensitivity to these things will come into play. After a couple of days, I usually find a wine has lost its charm in my refrigerator, but I have friends who will nurse an open bottle for a week or longer.
Some styles are more resilient to oxidation than others, so my advice is to experiment and figure out what works best for you and your wines. I should also note that even wine that’s been open and exposed to air for months is perfectly safe to drink, so there’s never any harm in trying a sip to see if you like it. If you find yourself wanting to save open bottles longer than a few days or a week, you might consider preservation methods like the Coravin.
Of course, you’ll probably want to let your red wine warm up a bit so you can enjoy it better. Aim to take your bottle out of the fridge a little while before serving to achieve the ideal serving temperature. If your wine is still a bit too cold and you’re ready for a glass, try cupping your hands around the wineglass. That should help the wine warm up quicker, fingerprints be damned!
—Dr. Vinny
