After decanting a bottle of wine, is it OK to pour it back into the bottle in order to take it to a friend's house? (2024)
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Dear Dr. Vinny,
After decanting a bottle of wine, is it OK to pour it back into the bottle in order to take it to a friend's house?
Yes, it's OK. But if there's a bit of sediment left in the bottle, you might want to give it a quick rinse first, before pouring the wine back in. I'll use water until all the sediment seems to be gone (although I suppose you could sacrifice some wine to the cause, too). Then I drain the bottle as best I can before pouring the wine back in. Funnels are extremely helpful for this.
For bottles in which little to no sediment is present, rinsing the bottle is unnecessary. Decant the wine back into the original bottle. Take care not to pour too quickly. Let sit for an hour before serving.
Assuming you had the good sense to rinse the other bottle, it will be fine. If you want to keep the wine till next week, the best thing you can do is pour it into very small bottles (200 mls) and cap the bottle with as little air in it as possible. It will likely oxidize somewhat but it should still be drinkable.
How to Store Open Wine. Obviously, putting the cork back in the bottle would have at least partially prevented some oxidation, as would putting the leftover wine in the refrigerator (yes, even if it's red). I also recommend transferring the wine to a smaller bottler where there will be less surface area.
After a wine has been decanted, it should be served immediately. Leftover wine can be kept in the decanter overnight. A sealed decanter can hold wine for two to three days, but after that it will quickly become over-aerated and lose flavor.
Decanters are sometimes made of leaded crystal. Wine is acidic and will (very slowly) leach some lead from the crystal. So to avoid the lead don't drink wine that has been left for a length of time (more than 3 or 4 days maybe) in a leaded crystal container.
Some wines can be stored in your decanter but for older wines, we recommend they be returned to the bottle. For wines returned to the bottle, removing the air with a wine bottle vacuum pump specially designed for this purpose is recommended.
You can store it in the decanter provided you seal it with an airtight seal. If you don't, it will over aerate and oxidize, ruining the taste. It should only be stored in the decanter for 2-3 days. If you don't want to store your wine in a decanter, you can pour it into a clean bottle and re-cork it.
But you shouldn't be afraid of storing opened red wine in the fridge. Cooler temperatures slow down chemical processes, including oxidation. A re-closed bottle of red or white wine in the fridge can stay relatively fresh for up to five days.
Once you finish up your wine, you can rinse the half bottle and use it again and again — no need for a fancy gadget. Trick #2: If you don't have a half-bottle or small container lying around, a great way to ensure your wine will last at least another day is by placing it in the fridge.
A general rule of thumb is red wines need three months, and white wines need one month of bottle time. You can drink young wine, but it will get better in time. It is fun to see how the wine changes over time, so you may want to try a bottle every so often.
White wines generally have a shorter shelf life than reds, with an unopened bottle lasting up to two years past recommended drinking window. Red Wine: Red wines tend to have a longer shelf life than whites, with an unopened bottle typically lasting up to three years past recommended drinking window.
A bottle of leftover wine is something that's full of possibilities, offering you an exciting chance to get creative in the kitchen. The last few glugs of rosé can be used in homemade jam, and extra red wine can star in everything from a chocolate snack cake to a dreamy pan sauce for lamb chops.
Never touch the rim of the glass with the bottle or decanter while serving. Pour slowly so the wine does not splash up, into the glass, on the table or on your guest. Turn the bottle after each pour to prevent drips.
Some wines can be stored in your decanter but for older wines, we recommend they be returned to the bottle. For wines returned to the bottle, removing the air with a wine bottle vacuum pump specially designed for this purpose is recommended.
When you have a wine you want to save, transfer the leftover wine from your regular size bottle into the empty half bottle, and then close the bottle with a cork or even saran wrap — you just want to make sure there is a seal. Next, place the bottle in the fridge (more on why you should do that below).
A particularly fragile or old wine that is 15 or more years of age should be for no more than 30 minutes before drinking. A younger, more vigorous or full-body red wine (even some whites) can be decanted for an hour or more before serving. Experiment with time and the wine.
“The double decanting wine method adds more air to the wine because the wine was exposed to oxygen twice, on the way out of the bottle and on the way back in.” But since the question as to what really needs to be decanted, and for how long, is unsettled (Kramer says 15 to 20 minutes for most any bottle, compared to the ...
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