One such instance is when the entire bottle of wine will not be consumed. Personally, this does not happen often in my house but in case you have leftover wine, here is some information on how to keep it fresh!
The simplest way to keep wine fresh is to insert the cork back into the bottle and place the bottle in the refrigerator. This works well for sparkling, white, red and even fortified sweet, dessert wines. Refrigeration is the best way to slow down oxidation once a wine is open and exposed to the air. Oxidation is what will eventually make a wine undrinkable if opened and exposed to air for too long. The result of oxidation is loss of flavor and aromas, making the wine undrinkable.
There are numerous devices on the market used to preserve wine. There are small hand pumps used to draw oxygen out of the bottle and a small can that will put nitrogen back into the bottle. Both devices limit oxygen exposure in the wine but can be tricky to use and of course, cost money. I personally think using the original cork is the best way to preserve your leftover wine. Pop in the cork, stick the bottle in the refrigerator and enjoy the next day. However, I do love the champagne bottle saver stopper. For about $5, you can save bottles of bubbles and preserve that fizz!
Bottles of bubbly, white and rosé wine should be placed back in the refrigerator right after pouring and kept there until you want to finish them. Even some lighter red wines such as Beaujolais and Pinot Noir do well in the refrigerator. When you want to finish these lighter red wines, take them out of the refrigerator and let them warm up for about 20 to 25 minutes before drinking them. Big, bold red wines, such as a young tannic Cabernet Sauvignon or Bordeaux can be left out at room temperature overnight. This might even allow the wine to soften slightly and be slightly smoother.
My best advice for always consuming wine at its freshest? Just finish the bottle! Cheers!
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