We are trying something new in this column: I will be answering some of your troublesome questions about wine that you’ve either been afraid to ask or wanted more clarification on.
We are trying something new in this column: I will be answering some of your troublesome questions about wine that you’ve either been afraid to ask or wanted more clarification on.
How long does wine last once opened?
Wine is sometimes referred to as a living, breathing thing. With that said, the best way an opened bottle of wine is stored is in your belly, and if you can’t finish it, within the belly of a good friend. All kidding aside, a white wine can be stored in your refrigerator and a red on your counter, for about 24 hours – if you remove the air that has been allowed into the bottle. (I like this vacuum pump device for that: Vacu Vin Wine Saver that is available at Bed, Bath and Beyond.) Be aware that even with taking that precaution your wine may taste differently on day two then on day one. Trick: If your red wine wasn’t to your liking, maybe it was too young, it may taste better, say like a spaghetti sauce does, on the second day.
How should wine be stored?
Unopened wine should be cellared unless you consume it as most people do: within 20 minutes of purchase. (That was a real calculation based on the length of time a person takes to drive home from the store!) Leaving your wine in an open rack, in the coldest room of your house and no direct sunlight, should be okay for a short period. But if you are purposely holding your wine for any length of time it should be in a temperature-controlled cellar – and not the refrigerator. Additional to that, wine that is closed with a cork needs to rest on its side so that the cork doesn’t dry out.
Is there a reason a screw cap closure is used over a cork?
The ruin of up to 10 percent of wine (give or take a percentage point depending on who you talk to) is blamed on cork taint, also referred to as TCA (the acronym for trichloroanisole) that has been attributed to the use of natural corks. A lot of new world wineries, Australia, Chile and the U.S. to name a few, have opted to use screw cap enclosures to protect their wine. Some Francophiles, those that opine on the benefits of all things French, feel that old world wines lose their old world romantic appeal if there is no popping of the cork, and accept TCA as a simple nuisance. The choice, and how you feel about it, is up to you. My recommendation is that you always have a backup bottle.
At what temperatures should you serve red and white wines?
The short answer: According to the Wine Spectator magazine the correct wine temperature for serving is 40 to 50 degrees for a white, rose or sparkling, 50 to 60 degrees for a fuller bodied white or light red wine, and 60 to 65 degrees for a full bodied red or Port wine.
However, if you are outdoors on a warm Santa Clarita day, or have just come indoors, you may prefer your wines a little cooler. Serving a red wine slightly chilled when you yourself are warm is acceptable. However, serving a red wine or a white wine too cold can also “close” your wine. Let me explain. Have you ever been served a white wine in a chilled wine glass? I have. I can’t detect the aromas much less the flavors. It is the only time you will see me holding my glass by the bowl and not the stem. So don’t make this error unless you like ice in your glass anyway.
Eve Bushman has been reading, writing, taking coursework and tasting wine for over 20 years. She has obtained a Level Two Intermediate Certification from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust, has been the subject of a 60-minute Wine Immersion video and recently served as a guest judge for the L.A. International Wine Competition. You can email Eve@EveWine101.com to ask a question about wine or spirits that may be answered in a future column.