Wine-Open Bottle

[mrt]

Do I have to finish the bottle when I open a bottle of wine? Just becouse of this, I usually feel reluctant to open bottles! If it's possible, how and how long can an open bottle of wine be stored? I have a plastic bottle cap to replace the cork, and it is said to have a vacuum function via a simple pump mechanism, but I'm not sure about whether it works or not. Besides, I do not fully trust myself for wine tasting yet...Any help appreciated...

[ILLfarmboy]

I'm sort of in the same boat as you. I prefer reds and Janean prefers whites. neither one of us likes to finish a bottle just so it won't go to waste. We have used the vacu-vin gadget with mixed results. It's no magic bullet. In my opinion it is better than just re-corking the bottle but the wine should still be consumed within one or two days. I wish half-bottles were more popular/available.

[cowdery]

It depends a lot on the wine, the environment, and your personal sensitivity to the changes that may occur. I'm in the same boat, in that I normally consume a bottle in two or three sittings. I save old corks from whiskey bottles because they have the plastic caps on them and I use those, no fancy vacuums. A red usually is fine on the counter for three or four days. Whites and some reds go into the fridge and last even longer. This is a good example, though, of your mileage may vary.

[TomH]

I've got the same problem since Barb drinks whites but I like reds. The Vac-u-vin and the refigerator keep the whites fine for her (not to pick on my lovely wife, but I don't think she would notice if the wine was badly oxidated anyway).

Having not been satisfied with it for my reds, I've used the winekeeper to keep wine successfully for a week. While it's a little pricey, I think it pays for itself by eliminating ruined wine.

[ILLfarmboy]

I've got the same problem since Barb drinks whites but I like reds. The Vac-u-vin and the refigerator keep the whites fine for her (not to pick on my lovely wife, but I don't think she would notice if the wine was badly oxidated anyway).

Having not been satisfied with it for my reds, I've used the winekeeper to keep wine successfully for a week. While it's a little pricey, I think it pays for itself by eliminating ruined wine.

Same deal here. I'm pretty sensitive to oxidation. The wife will drink slightly vinegary wine. Ick This "winekeeper", is it one of those inert gas things? Believe it or not I've actually thought of using argon wich is used as a shielding gas in MIG welding as a way to preserve wine.

[TomH]

The Winekeeper uses nitrogen, but there are similar products that use argon.

[smokinson]

One almost fail-proof way to save wine is to buy a cheap half-bottle of wine, drink it, then save and clean out the bottle. Then when you know your not going to finish a bottle pour half of the one you are about to drink in the half-bottle. Fill it all the way to the top and cork it. Air is what kills wine, so by default, no air no bad wine

[mythrenegade]

Great suggestion, I'll have to try it.

As for the vacuum pumps, the wine is never as good as it is when you first open it. But it can extend the drinkability of the wine. We use one, but rarely for more than a day or two. Generally within a week it is horrible.

joel

[nor02lei]

One almost fail-proof way to save wine is to buy a cheap half-bottle of wine, drink it, then save and clean out the bottle. Then when you know your not going to finish a bottle pour half of the one you are about to drink in the half-bottle. Fill it all the way to the top and cork it. Air is what kills wine, so by default, no air no bad wine

I use that trick too and it seems to me that one week is no problem with this method.

Leif

[jeff]

Leslie and I definitely don't have this problem Which is a good thing, because we are both sensitive to the changes in wine after one evening. I don't want to sound like a snob, but I just won't drink it the next day; I'd rather have a fresh beer. I'll usually cook something the next evening and use any leftover wine for the recipe. We do keep a box of white wine in the fridge for times when we only want a glass. Boxed whites are getting better. Boxed reds...