How to Store Opened Wine

There are several ways to store wine after opening a bottle. The easiest way to store opened wine is to simply recork it and put it in the fridge. Yes, even red wine. The cool temperature will slow down the wine’s oxidation process. I take it a step further and use the Savino Connoisseur wine saver. This glass carafe has a patented technology that keeps wine fresh for up to a week. I put it to the test with some leftover wine by putting half into the Savino Connoisseur and left half in a bottle at room temperature. After a week, the wine stored in the Savino was still fresh, while the wine left at room temperature was undrinkable. Some people swear by vacuum wine savers, but I find them too much trouble and to be unreliable. 

How to Store Opened Wine Using a Coravin

If you like to taste different wines or pair different courses with different wines at home, you need a Coravin. The Coravin is the ultimate way to preserve wine. By using a Coravin, you never actually open the bottle and remove the cork. Instead, a delicate needle pierces the cork. After you press the button, Coravin draws out the wine and replaces it with a neutral gas. You simply remove the Coravin and the cork seals itself up again. I interviewed Greg Lambrecht, the founder of Coravin, who told me that he has done countless trials with the world’s top wine tasters and winemakers. No one could reliably tell which wine had been opened years before with Coravin and which wine was freshly opened. You can consider it the ultimate at-home wine program. 

How to Store Opened Champagne and Sparkling Wine

Sparkling wine is more difficult to store once it’s opened, but there are ways to extend its life. Buy a high-quality sparkling wine saver. I have a fantastic one from Dom Pérignon and also recommend Le Creuset’s Champagne Stopper. If you’re in a pinch, you can cover the top of the bottle with plastic wrap and secure it tightly with a rubber band. (It seriously works for a day or two). Most importantly, do not open and close the Champagne stopper frequently. Every time you do, you’ll get rid of some of the fizz, and there’s truly nothing worse than flat Champagne. I once forgot about a bottle of Champagne in my fridge for nearly a week, and it was still bubbly after all that time. 

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