Opened wine is usually at its best for 3 to 5 days in the fridge.
Seal the bottle with its cork, screw cap or a wine stopper as soon as you finish pouring. Refrigeration slows oxidation, which makes wine lose its fresh flavor.
How Long Different Wines Last After Opening
| Type of wine | Best quality in the fridge |
|---|---|
| Sparkling wine | 1 to 3 days with a sparkling-wine stopper |
| White wine | 3 to 5 days |
| Rosé wine | 3 to 5 days |
| Light red wine | 3 to 5 days |
| Full-bodied red wine | 3 to 5 days |
| Sweet dessert wine | 5 to 7 days |
| Fortified wine, such as Port or Sherry | 2 to 4 weeks, depending on the style |
These timeframes refer to best flavor, not a strict safety cutoff. Wine usually loses its quality before it becomes unsafe to drink.
How to Tell if Refrigerated Wine Has Gone Bad
Discard the wine if it has:
- A strong vinegar or nail-polish-remover smell
- A musty, moldy or rotten odor
- An unusually brown or dull color
- A flat, stale or sharply sour taste
- Unexpected fizz in a still wine
A slightly flat or oxidized wine usually has a quality problem rather than a food-safety problem.
Does Red Wine Need to Go in the Fridge?
Yes. Refrigerating opened red wine helps it last longer. Take the bottle out about 20 to 30 minutes before serving so the wine can warm slightly.
How Should You Store Opened Wine?
- Reseal the bottle as soon as you finish pouring.
- Store it upright to reduce the wine's exposure to oxygen.
- Keep it cold in the refrigerator.
- Use a vacuum wine stopper if you want to extend freshness slightly.
- Use a proper sparkling-wine stopper for sparkling wine. Do not push the original cork back in.
How Long Does Unopened Wine Last in the Fridge?
An unopened bottle can stay in the fridge for weeks, but a refrigerator is not the best place for long-term wine storage. Very cold temperatures, low humidity and vibration can affect the cork and the wine's quality.
Store unopened wine in a cool, dark, stable place. Refrigerate it shortly before serving, especially if it is white, rosé or sparkling wine.
Bottom line: Opened wine is usually best within 3 to 5 days in the fridge. Sparkling wine lasts about 1 to 3 days, while fortified wine can last several weeks.