Air is a four-letter word?

How to keep an open bottle of wine

wine,Good Housekeeping,kitchen wisdom Half bottle of wine and a full glass

By GH wine writer Richard Ehrlich 

All wine lovers occasionally open more bottles of wine than they can finish in one sitting. This is a problem that can be summed up in one word: air. Wine starts to change as soon as it’s exposed to the oxygen outside the bottle. If it’s exposed too long – as in a half-full bottle, for instance – it will eventually oxidise, ending up with a flat and dull taste.

Is there good news?

wine,Good Housekeeping,kitchen wisdom Cork in wine bottle opener Yes, there is. While some people say it’s essential to deal with half-filled bottles immediately, the wine can sit happily for 24 hours or even longer before deterioration becomes noticeable. That’s the word from Gerd Stepp MW, winemaker for M&S and an expert on wine science. Gerd also says that really good wine may actually benefit from sitting in a partially drunk bottle (cork in) for a few days.

What\'s the solution?

wine,Good Housekeeping,kitchen wisdom Wine and Strawberries

With less expensive wines, where fresh fruit flavours are all-important, a few days in an open bottle is not a good idea. Limiting contact between wine and air will keep your wine fresh and delicious for periods ranging from a couple of days to a couple of weeks – or even longer, according to some people. There are several ways of doing it, some better than others.

The pumped-up solution

wine,Good Housekeeping,kitchen wisdom Wine bottle pump The most widely available wine-preserving system is Vacuvin, which consists of rubber stoppers that have a slit in the top and a pump for removing air from the bottle. Push the stopper into the open bottle, then place the pump on top and pump up and down until you can’t push any longer. That means that just about every bit of air has been squeezed out, creating a vacuum. In forcing air out of the bottle, Vacuvin also forces out some of the aromas. But it’s better than a regular cork if you’re keeping the wine for longer than a day or so. Vacuvin is sold at numerous wine merchants, at www.amazon.co.uk, and at online wine-accessory retailers such as www.wineware.co.uk.

The gassy solution

wine,Good Housekeeping,kitchen wisdom Gas wine storing system A better solution, not so widely available, is to pump inert gas into the bottle. These systems are used in some restaurants and wine bars, and they’re a proven technology. You insert the nozzle of the gas canister into the bottle and squirt for a few seconds, then put the cork back in. The gas settles on the surface of the wine to form a barrier which won’t be disturbed until you reopen the bottle and pour. One well regarded gas system for home users is Pek Preservino Hand Held (around £40, www.wineware.co.uk); this uses argon, which Gerd says is ideal. A cheaper alternative is Private Preserve, £7.95 from www.therealwineco.co.uk and a few other independent suppliers. Both products are worth considering if you expect to keep wine longer than a few days. They’re especially useful for fortified wines such as port and sherry, and for vermouth, which tend to get drunk more slowly than table wine.

The low-tech solutions

books to read,wine,Good Housekeeping,kitchen wisdom World Atlas of Wine by Hugh Johnson and Jancis Robinson As Hugh Johnson and Jancis Robinson point out in the new edition of their wonderful World Atlas of Wine (£35, Mitchell Beazley), keeping wine cold slows down the oxidisation process. This applies to red as well as white, though obviously you have to take reds out in advance so they lose their chill before drinking. Another low-tech option: if you ever buy half-bottles of wine, keep the empties. Well cleaned, they’re a good place for storing other wines since there’s less head-space for the unwanted air. And finally, crazy though it may sound, many experts insist that freezing wine is the best way to keep it fresh. I have tried this, and it really does work. Just remember not to do it with a full bottle.

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