Most opened still wine keeps for three to five days if you put the cork back in and store it in the fridge, including reds. Sparkling wine lasts one to three days with a proper stopper, and fortified wines such as port keep for weeks. Drinks House 247 recommends re-corking straight after pouring.
Once a bottle is open, oxygen starts changing the wine. For the first hour or so that is a good thing: it is why wines open up in the glass. Over days, the same process strips out fresh fruit and eventually turns wine towards vinegar. How fast that happens depends on the style of wine and on what you do with the bottle.
| Wine style | Keeps once opened | How to store it |
|---|---|---|
| Champagne and sparkling | 1–3 days | Fridge, with a hinged sparkling-wine stopper |
| Light whites and rosé | 3–5 days | Fridge, re-corked |
| Full-bodied whites (oaked Chardonnay, Viognier) | 3–4 days | Fridge, re-corked |
| Light reds (Pinot Noir, Beaujolais) | 2–3 days | Fridge, re-corked; take out 30 minutes before serving |
| Full-bodied reds (Cabernet, Syrah, Malbec) | 3–5 days | Fridge, re-corked; take out 30 minutes before serving |
| Sweet wines (Sauternes, Tokaji) | 1–3 weeks | Fridge, re-corked |
| Ruby and vintage-style port | 1–2 weeks | Cool, dark place or fridge |
| Tawny port | 3–4 weeks | Cool, dark place or fridge |
| Bag-in-box wine | 3–4 weeks | As the box directs; the bag collapses so little air gets in |
These are guides, not deadlines. A structured, tannic red can taste better on day two than on day one. A delicate white can fade within a day if it is left out on a warm worktop.
Three things protect wine from oxygen: tannin, acidity and sugar. Tannin, found mostly in red wine, acts as a natural preservative, which is why a firm Cabernet outlasts a soft Pinot Noir. High acidity helps too, so a crisp Riesling holds on well. Sugar and alcohol are the reasons sweet and fortified wines last for weeks.
Fortified wines such as port have already been exposed to oxygen during their long ageing, especially tawny port, which spends years in barrel. There is less left for the air to change.
Yes. This is the most useful and least followed tip. Cold slows the chemical reactions that spoil wine, so an opened red keeps noticeably longer in the fridge than on the counter. Take it out about 30 minutes before you want it so it warms back towards serving temperature of 14 to 18°C. A red drunk straight from a 4°C fridge will taste muted and tannic.
Trust your nose. Signs that a wine has turned include:
A wine that has gone past its best is unpleasant rather than unsafe. If it smells tired but not vinegary, it is still perfectly good for cooking: in a risotto, a gravy or a stew.
If you open a bottle on a weeknight and only want a glass, plan to finish it within three days, keep it in the fridge with the cork in, and use the leftover in cooking by the weekend. For evenings when you only want one glass, a half bottle is often the better buy.
Most opened still wine keeps three to five days in the fridge with the cork back in. Sparkling wine lasts one to three days with a proper stopper, and fortified wines such as port keep for weeks.
Yes. Cold slows the reactions that spoil wine, so red keeps longer in the fridge. Take it out about 30 minutes before serving so it warms towards 14 to 18°C.
Re-cork it straight after pouring, keep it upright in the fridge, and pour leftovers into a smaller bottle to reduce the air above the wine.
It is unlikely to be harmful, but it will usually taste flat or vinegary. If it smells tired but not sour, use it for cooking instead.
Browse red wine and white wine, or see how wine delivery works across London. For storing unopened bottles, see our wine storage checklist, and for serving temperatures, read what temperature red wine should be served at.
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