How Long White Wine Should Last In The Fridge

As it so often is with other products, oxygen is the enemy of freshness when it comes to wine. Broadly speaking, the more a wine is exposed to oxygen, the more its qualities decline. Even the best wines are subject to the harmful effects of oxidation. As such, an opened bottle of white wine will last for three to seven days in the fridge. Make sure it's sealed properly with the original cork to prevent more air entering the bottle. Wine left in the fridge for longer than that isn't necessarily dangerous to consume, but it just won't taste the same as a fresh bottle. Consider using the leftovers to make a delicious risotto or a white wine sauce for pasta.

Some wines are exposed to small amounts oxygen during the aging process and may degrade all the quicker after the bottle is opened, especially if they've spent time aging in a barrel. The white wine most vulnerable to this depends on the variety, though full-bodied varieties like a barrel-aged oaked chardonnay are more prone to air exposure during the winemaking process.

Despite what you may think, the fridge may not be the best place to store your unopened bottles of white wine. The conditions inside the refrigerator can affect the cork and, as soon as the cork starts to break down, air can get inside the bottle. This is why a wine bottle should almost always be stored on its side, as this allows wine to saturate the cork and keep it from drying out. Use this super-fast chilling hack or pop that bottle in the freezer for an hour before serving if you're looking for maximum chill in minimum time (though be sure to not lose track of time if attempting this).

To understand the conditions under which unopened wine should be stored, think about wine cellars. Wine cellars are cool and dark, making them a perfect environment for keeping wine away from light and temperature extremes, and therefore in optimal condition. No wine cellar? No problem. Any cool, dark place, such as a basement or even the back of a properly temperature-controlled pantry, should work fine.

Contrary to what you may believe, wines do have an expiration date. Only certain wines age well and most unopened white wines can only be kept for anywhere from two to five years past their vintage date before they begin to degrade. In other words, it may be time to drink that bottle of Riesling you've been saving for a special occasion.