how long does corked red wine last?

Question

I know aged wine is nice, but how long until it rots?

Answer 1

Some red wines are meant to be aged while others are made to be drunk soon after bottling. A 40-year old bottle of a top Bordeaux willl still be youthful and fresh, while a 5-year old Beaujolais will likely be past its prime (not quite rotten, but not too pleasant to drink either). Most decent wines have a "window" of time when they will be at its best; if you're spending more than $30-$40 on a bottle it may be worthwhile to buy at a specialized wine store and ask the salesperson for advice on whether it's ready to drink or not. You can also subscribe to an online magazine like Wine Spectator that will tell you whether a particular wine is too young, ready to drink, or past its prime.

In any case, it's always wise to store wines properly: Lying down or at least tilted enough to ensure the wine fully covers the cork and in a non-sunlit room with a cool, constant temperature.

By the way, "corked" means a wine that's been spoiled by a bad cork; what you mean is unopened, right?

Answer 2

You say "corked wine", but are you asking about unopened wine with the cork, or opened wine that has been recorked.

If the wine is unopened, then store it on its side so that the wine remains in contact with the cork so it does not dry out. Depending on the wine it can remain good for 2-75+ years. Most moderately priced wines are best consumed within a few years of purchase. The wines that you read about that are 15+ years old are often more complex and expensive wines that require the long aging process to allow the tannins to mellow and the flavors to develop.

Wines of these type include - Burgundies, Bordeaux, Romani-Conti, and Sauternes as well as Ports and some Sherries.

Now that is for Unopened wine.

If the wine is opened and then recorked, you have at most 2-3 days to consume it before it becomes sour (But not vinegar). (you can sometimes use old wines for cooking purposes - the cooking process will destroy or mellow any off flavors).

Answer 3

It depends greatly on the wine's characteristics when it's made. Generally speaking most red wines now are made to be consumed within 2-10 years. Whether they are at their peak during that time or exactly when they're at their peak is an open question. But wines do go downhill and unless it's a very good wine it's not likely it will last for 50 or even 20 years. The other factor is storage. If it's not cellared in optimum conditions it definately won't last that long.
P.S. WIne rarely, if ever, turns into vinegar unless its meant to turn into vinegar. Oxygen does ruin wine but it doesn't turn it to vinegar.

Answer 4

in case you go away the cork out, it won't final an afternoon. in case you recork and go away it out, maybe an afternoon longer. in case you recork it and put in the ffridge, an afternoon or 2 longer. in case you utilize a vaccuum stopper and refrigerator, it ought to pass as much as each and every week and a 0.5, maybe. Even the stiffest, maximum tannic crimson wines will oxidize fairly quickly. think of of ways promptly a soda is going flat with the bottle open and that supplies you a concept, an fairly undesirable assessment i comprehend yet merely as an instance a factor. Like all of us else says, it will final till finally you end it.

Answer 5

It's good as long as the cork remains intact and stored in ideal conditions (in a cellar). It can last longer than 50 years.

Once air gets in, you'll get vinegar.

Answer 6

After you open it the love starts slipping away. I wouldn't keep it longer than a couple days, unless you are using it for cooking.

Answer 7

We usually drink the whole bottle.
Just re-cork it.