Is the open bottle still good?

Opened wine does not expire at midnight on a fixed day. Style, oxygen, temperature and the closure move the window. The checker gives a sensible range, then asks you to use the final authority: smell and a small taste. Refrigeration matters for every style, including red, because cold slows the reactions that flatten fruit.

The Usual Windows

These are ranges, not promises. A half-full bottle contains more oxygen than a nearly full one, while a preservation system can extend the useful life. The full guide to wine after opening explains the chemistry and each style.

Smell Before You Pour a Glass

Oxidised wine can smell like bruised apple, stale nuts or a fruit bowl left too long. Volatile acidity can smell like vinegar or solvent. A wine can also be clean but simply flat, with the fruit and finish gone.

Pour a small amount, smell it and taste a teaspoon. If it is merely tired, it may still work in a braise, risotto or sauce. If the fault smells unpleasant now, cooking will not make it disappear. The wine fault guide separates oxidation from cork taint and other problems.

Storage That Buys Time

Recork immediately, keep the bottle upright and refrigerate it. Upright storage reduces the surface area exposed to air. A sparkling pressure stopper keeps carbon dioxide in; a vacuum device can help some still wines. Moving leftover wine into a smaller clean bottle also reduces the oxygen above it.

The companion guide to keeping wine fresh ranks those methods. No stopper restores aromas already lost, so preservation starts when the first glass is poured.

Track the Next Bottle

Save the bottle and tasting note while the memory is fresh, then mark what changed on day two. Download Sommo and turn a leftover glass into useful palate evidence.