Leftover wine may bring about problems for many of you that leftover food does not. While it’s easy to throw a vat of macaroni in a Tupperware bowl or wrap a piece of bread in a plastic baggie, the same can’t be said for wine. When it comes to saving wine, there is no place for foil or Saran Wrap.
This makes figuring out what to do with unused wine particularly challenging. And, it further perpetuates the idea that no wine should ever be left over. Just like we, as children, were taught to clean our plates before we could leave the table, as adults we must empty our bottles before we’ll be excused.
Nonetheless, there are still instances when leftover wine simply can’t be avoided, times when – as a result of a party, a misjudgment of thirst, or a huge wine sale that could not be passed up – wine must be kept another day. So, what do you do then? Well, move over whales, it’s time to save the wine.
Can I Get An Ice Box?
We’ve all been in the familiar situation of a restaurant meal we couldn’t possibly finish. The portions of that filet mignon were too large, too many drinks have been consumed, and we’ve just given our last antacid to the bus boy. At this point, there’s only one thing that can be done: a box must be requested. This concept, for those who can’t finish a bottle, also rings true for wine.
The refrigerator, for saving both red wine and white wine, is one of the first places to start. This may seem a bit opposite as red wine, by rule, is not typically served cold. However, after a bottle is open, keeping it in a cool, dry place may be the best chance of keeping it as fresh as possible. But, even with refrigeration, the remainder of the wine should still be consumed within three or four days; the longer it remains in the refrigerator, the more tasteless it will become, soon spitting nasty comments in the direction of the Arm and Hammer.
The freezer, not to be left out, also extends itself to our “Save the Wine” campaign. While wine is not usually frozen, except by those of you who are rare cravers of a port-sicle, left over wine can be placed in the freezer, and then used as cooking wine.
Article comments
1 - Bliffle
Put it in the bottle with your vinegar 'mother', then later you can use it in vinegairette.
2 - STM
Many wine producers in Australia are switching to screw cap bottles, even for premium wines, but I'm not sure about reds as I don't drink 'em.
However, my wife ordered a very expensive bottle the other night and only had two glasses. The waiter had kept a screw cap and she took the remainder of the bottle home and had it two nights later, good as gold.
Many wine producers believe the caps are better than corks for whites as there is no spoilage, but say they are meeting some resistance from drinkers - ironically, mainly from those who don't know much about wine.
3 - tink
It's not just the Aussies that are turning to screw caps. I think that it's not going over that well over here in the states where the metal cap equals Thunderbird or other such swill to most wine drinkers.
Uuummm...should I be worried that I don't remember having a problem with what to do with leftovers in the wine department???
GREAT job, JJ...thanks for an interesting read!!