Many winemakers store full bottles of wine as they should--securely corked in a wine rack in a dark, cool place. Any wine aficionado who collects or makes his own wine knows this is the best way to preserve wine and allow the flavors to develop as it ages.
Many winemakers, however, have the problem of storing opened bottles of wine. Perhaps you brought out a bottle of your favorite recipe and had a glass or two, but decided to save the rest for later. If you let the wine sit opened, even in the refrigerator, air contamination will make it go flat and weaken the flavor or make it bitter. Storing your opened wine properly ensures you can enjoy the whole bottle over time.
Instructions
1. Place a funnel into the opening of a half-bottle. Half-bottles are wine bottles made half the size of the standard 750 milliliter bottle. Most hold about 375 milliliters. The funnel will prevent you from spilling wine.
2. Pour the wine from the large bottle into the small bottle through the funnel. The wine should fill the half-bottle almost to the top. This helps limit the amount of air in the bottle when it is sealed, which preserves flavor.
3. Push a cork or wine stopper into the top of the bottle so it holds tightly. If a little wine squirts out of the bottle, don't worry, just wipe it off. That just means there is less air in the bottle. Either way, the stopper or cork should touch the wine inside the neck of the bottle.
4. Store the wine in a wine cellar or in your refrigerator at 50 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit. The bottle should keep for about a week; after that the flavors will decrease.
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