Other compounds can dissolve, only to combine again in another fashion. These processes happen constantly and at different rates. Every time you open a bottle, you catch the wine at another stage in its development, with new and different nuances.
While the proportion of alcohol, acids and sugars stay the same, the flavors continue to change. Texturally, the wines also change. Dry, aged white wines can become almost viscous and oily, while reds tend to feel smoother. This is due to phenolic compounds like tannins falling out as sediment over time.
In a young wine, these compounds repel each other, staying small enough to remain suspended in the wine. As the wine ages, they lose their charge and start to combine, forming chains and becoming larger and heavier. This reduces the surface area of the tannins, causing them taste smoother, rounder and gentler.
Once these combined compounds become too large, they fall out of suspension as sediment. Some red wines throw heavy sediment, others almost none. Thank You! We've received your email address, and soon you will start getting exclusive offers and news from Wine Enthusiast. One of the most visible processes in an evolving wine is slow oxidation.
Color is the most obvious indicator of this. As white wines age, they often evolve from pale lemon or golden to amber and even brown. As reds develop, oxidation often moves them from the purple end of the spectrum toward tawny or brown hues.
While young reds can be opaque when held against a white background, mature reds often show a lighter color around the edges. The rate of oxidation depends on the amount of air left in the neck of the bottle after it was sealed, and how permeable the closure is. Traditionally, natural cork has allowed minimal oxygen exchange, which is why most wines deemed ageworthy are still bottled under cork.
However, since cork is a natural product, there is no such thing as uniformity. This can cause considerable bottle variation in the same case of wine. Meanwhile, sophisticated synthetic closures like Nomacorc mimic this oxygen exchange in a more predictable fashion.
Generally, wine should be kept in cool, dark places with bottles placed on their sides to prevent the cork from drying out. The shelf life of an opened bottle of wine varies depending on the type. In general, lighter wines go bad a lot faster than darker varieties. Storing wine in lower temperatures will help slow down these chemical reactions and keep opened wine fresher longer. Here is a list of common wines and an estimation of how long they will last once they are opened:. Opened wine goes bad due to a series of chemical reactions that can change the flavor of the wine.
In general, lighter wines go bad faster than darker wines. To prolong the shelf life, opened wine should be tightly sealed and stored in the refrigerator. Besides looking at the printed expiration date, there are signs that your wine — both opened and unopened — has gone bad. For the most part, dark-colored wines, such as purple and red , that turn a brownish color, as well as light white wines that change to a golden or opaque color, should be discarded. Unplanned fermentation can also occur, creating unwanted tiny bubbles in the wine.
A wine that has been left open for too long will have a sharp, vinegar-like smell similar to that of sauerkraut. Wine that has gone stale will start to have a nut-like odor or smell like applesauce or burnt marshmallows. One the other hand, wine that has never been opened but has gone bad will smell like garlic, cabbage, or burnt rubber. If you are feeling adventurous, tasting your wine is also a good way to tell whether it has gone bad.
Tasting a small amount of bad wine will not cause any harm. A wine leak that is visible in the cork or a cork pushing past the wine bottle rim could be a sign that your wine has undergone heat damage, which can cause the wine to smell and taste duller.
There are a number of ways to check whether your opened and unopened wine has gone bad. Wine that has experienced changes in color, emits a sour, vinegar-like smell, or has a sharp, sour flavor has gone bad. Wine can turn bad not only from over exposure to oxygen but also an increase in yeast and bacterial growth. Chances are drinking bad wine may only be very unpleasant, as wine has a low risk of harboring microbial growth. Of course this is not an exact science so these are basic guidelines.
Let price be your guide in revealing whether a wine should be enjoyed as soon as possible or cellared for future years. Wines to be aged should be kept in the proper environment. A constant temperature between 55 and 60 Darkness is important, as well as no vibration. A wine refrigerator is a good place to age your wine and a temperature-controlled cellar is even better. Your basement might be the right place if the humidity and temperature are constant year round.
Of course, storing your wine next to the boiler is clearly a bad idea. Purchase a digital thermometer that tells you the maximum and minimum temperatures for the day as well as the constant humidity. This tool can help you locate the best place in the house to store your wine. Thierry Pradines is the proprietor of Best Wine Purveyors, a destination retail wine and spirits store in Pleasantville.
The curated store offers free tastings from its tasting bar, weekly educational wine seminars, regular special events, sterling expertise, and a first-rate client experience.
Send him your questions at tpradines bestwinepurveyors. Facebook Twitter Email. Ask an expert: How long should I age or cellar my wine? Why do some chardonnays have an oak flavor? Thierry Pradines of Best Wine Purveyors explains why some chardonnays have an oak flavor.
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