How to store an opened bottle of red wine?

Poor storage conditions affect the quality of a wine, whether red, white or rosé. The three criteria for conservation are: temperature - heat is not a wine's friend - exposure to light and oxygenation of the wine.

The aim of good preservation is to avoid oxidation of the wine. This natural process occurs when your wine is overexposed to oxygen. It wears out both aromas and color. Oxidation causes defects in wines, unbalancing their structure and taste. It loses alcohol and panache.

While aeration (or breathing) of red wine is necessary to allow the bouquet to open up before tasting, care must be taken to preserve red wine and prevent it from oxidizing.

Once opened, and awaiting its second tasting, a bottle of red wine must be :

• stored in a room with a stable, relatively cool temperature, away from heat (cellar, garage, storeroom),
• away from light (cupboard, crate),
• with a stopper, vacuum pump or special closing system.

The cork prevents oxidation of your red wine. The use of a wine pump flushes out oxygen by creating a vacuum inside the bottle, for better preservation of your reds.

The time between two tastings should not exceed 5 days. after opening the bottle of red wine. It all depends on the wine, and how well you store it.

The fridge is not the solution for aging and storing your bottles of wine over the long term. To keep your grands crus looking their best, store them in an appropriate refrigerated cellar - for ageing, not serving.

This method is not universally accepted, especially for red wines. We strongly advise you to store an opened bottle of red wine in a cellar or garage. But if this isn't possible, the refrigerator - provided it's not set too cool - is a compromise worth considering. Once corked, the bottle should be placed upright in the doorway.

Some reds are best drunk chilled. However, wait for them to warm up before tasting and after removal from the fridge to reach the right serving temperature.