Can you refrigerate red wine

Instead, you can easily use your kitchen refrigerator — as long as you follow some basic guidelines on getting the right temperature. Let's review some handy tips for how and when to refrigerate wine.

Once upon a time, the prevailing wisdom was that red wine was best served at room temperature. But the truth is that it's better when served a bit cooler than that. Red wine that is served too warm tastes flabby and too alcoholish. In general, the ideal temperature for full-bodied reds like Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec is between degrees Fahrenheit.

It's the same for fortified wines such as Port, Marsala , and Madeira. Lighter-bodied reds such as Pinot Noir, Gamay, and Grenache are better served a little cooler than that at 55 degrees. Place fuller-bodied reds in the refrigerator for 90 minutes and lighter versions for 45 minutes. You can then open the bottle and decant it if you like to let it breathe and warm up for 10 minutes before drinking.

Fuller-bodied whites like oaked Chardonnay are best when served between degrees, which brings out their rich textures. Dessert wines also are great in this temperature range. Lighter, fruitier, and drier white wines such as Pinot Grigio and Sauvignon Blanc are ideal at colder temperatures , usually between degrees. These cool temps keep the carbon dioxide intact and prevent the bottle from unexpectedly popping open.

Then, 30 minutes before you open the bottle, remove it from the fridge and let it warm up ever so slightly. A wine that's over-chilled results in muted flavors and nobody wants that. Pro tip: If you frequently open your kitchen fridge maybe you're hosting a wine tasting party and getting the food ready , don't put the wine bottles on the door.

Instead, opt for space in the back or in the crisper to better regulate the temperature. Up until this point, we've focused on refrigerating wine that has yet to be opened. Vinifera, but you can call me Vinny. Ask me your toughest wine questions , from the fine points of etiquette to the science of winemaking.

And don't worry, I'm no wine snob—you can also ask me those "dumb questions" you're too embarrased to ask your wine geek friends! I hope you find my answers educational, empowering and even amusing. Now, I wouldn't recommend storing wines of any color in a refrigerator for a long time—the ideal conditions for storing leftover potato salad and the ideal conditions for aging wine are different enough that an ordinary refrigerator is not your best bet for medium- or long-term wine storage.

The structure of a red comes from its tannins. Dessert wines have different amounts of residual sugar. Sparkling holds carbon dioxide CO 2.

All have varying degrees of alcohol. Thus, temperature can mute or accentuate a wine, based on its components. But what does that mean? A humid studio at noon in August? No, thank you. Unless you live in a European castle where your boudoir remains chilly year-round, the room temp axiom is outdated. Lighter-bodied wines with higher acidity, like Loire Valley Cabernet Franc , prefer lower temps. Place it in the refrigerator for 90 minutes. Skip to main content.

Welcome to KJ. COM By clicking Submit you verify that you are 21 years of age or older and agree to our cookie policy. View our cookie policy Submit. How to Store Open Wine. The Basics of Wine and Oxygen Oxygen can be good and bad for a bottle of wine. Wine Preservation Techniques There are all sorts of tools for preserving open wine at just as many price points.

Transfer Wine to Smaller Container A great way to save half a bottle of wine is to pour it into a ml half bottle. Wine Preservation Tools If you're into gadgets, you're in for a treat. Don't Open the Bottle I promise that this isn't what you are thinking! Shelf Life by Style As the saying goes, rules are made to be broken.

Within these categories, there are a few additional things to keep in mind: Higher-quality wines may have more durability post-opening, but not always. More subtle wines, like Pinot Noir, usually need to be drunk up quickly, whatever their price. New World wines that is, those not from Europe and their more energetic fruit character tend to last longer than Old World wines, which tend to wane more quickly.

Older, long-aged wines tend to be frail and almost never store well after opening unless they are fortified. Wines bearing no- or low-sulphur mentions on their label tend not to stay fresh long after opening. Drink those up, stat! Lighter-bodied Reds: Days Lighter-bodied reds, as well as delicate grape varieties like Pinot Noir, tend to be fragile, fading pretty quickly. Full-bodied Reds: Days Fuller-bodied reds, as well as higher tannin reds, have solid staying power. Lighter-bodied Whites: Days Lighter whites that see no or little oak use can usually last for several days.

If you want to be more methodical, follow these steps: Take a look at the wine's color. Opened red wines will start to turn brickish or brown while opened white wines will turn darker yellow or even gold.

Sniff the wine and see if the fruit character is as lively as the last time you tasted the wine. Also, check to see if the wine is starting to smell like the vinegar in your pantry.

If the wine smells appealing, give it a sip. But, make it a small sip! Sometimes a wine smells fine, but it tastes terrible. I love balsamic vinegar as a condiment, but I will never pour a glass to drink.

Turn your geek on, if you want! Jot some quick notes of your observations of the wine the first night it is opened and also note how much you like it. Then, compare your second night's tasting back to that note. As you collect experiences doing this, you'll develop a good feel for how long opened wine can last!

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