Should i refrigerate merlot after opening

Yes, refrigerating an opened bottle of red wine will help keep it fresher than storing it at normal room temperature; take the red wine out of the fridge about an hour before serving to bring back to room temperature. How long does opened red wine last in the refrigerator? An opened bottle of red wine will usually keep well for about 3 to 5 days in the refrigerator be sure to re-cork it first. If a cork or stopper is not available for the opened bottle of red wine, cover the opening with plastic wrap and place a rubber band around the bottle neck to seal plastic tightly.

In general, opened bottles of full-bodied red wines such as cabernet sauvignon, merlot and syrah will maintain their flavor longer than lighter varieties such as pinot noir.

Can you freeze leftover red wine? In the case of red wines, the ideal serving temperature is between 63 and 65 degrees Fahrenheit. The ideal storage temperature for red wines is at about 60 degrees. If you are able to store your Merlot at 60 degrees, then pop the cork when you are ready to serve the wine and place the bottle on the counter for about 30 minutes to allow the wine to warm up to the ideal serving temperature.

If, however, you store your Merlot at room temperature, it is likely you will want to cool the Merlot before serving. To do this, place the bottle in an ice water bath for about 10 minutes - just long enough to slightly cool the wine.

Don't over chill, and don't serve Merlot at refrigerator temperatures. Overchilling the wine will cause the subtlety and character of the wine to disappear. Before serving Merlot, the wine needs to "breathe" in order to open up any flavors and to allow tannins to soften.

To allow the wine to breathe, open the bottle and let it sit for 20 minutes to an hour. You should select a wine glass with a large bowl design so that you can enjoy the full aromas of the Merlot.

The rounded shape of the glass will accentuate the flavors and scents of the wine as you drink. If you are unable to find a glass specifically for Merlot, you can choose a glass which has been designed for Cabernet or Bordeaux. In recent years, stemless wineglasses have become widely available.

The argument against stemless wine glasses has always been that by holding the glass in your hand, you will warm up the wine to a temperature that moves it out of its ideal serving range. This is less of a concern with red wines than with white wines, which need to be chilled.

There are a number of stemless glasses that work quite well with red wines like Merlot - including the Riedel O Bordeaux-style glasses. Wine bottles come in at least twelve different sizes Read our Definitive guide to wine bottle shapes and sizes. Alternatively, you can simply buy your wine in smaller sizes. Although half bottles or splits are less frequently available in supermarkets, you can easily buy them online. Direct light is dangerous for all wines and they should always be stored in the dark.

Sparkling wines are particularly susceptible to the negative effects of light. Wine preservation systems, unfortunately, do not work for sparkling wines.

Inert gas-based systems are only suitable for still wines, while the vacuum pumps will suck out the bubbles, leaving the wine flat. If you want to keep a sparkling wine fresh, your best bet is a Champagne stopper. They are inexpensive and can keep your bubbles going for up to five days. Traditional method sparkling wines like Champagne and Cava will last longer than tank method wines like Prosecco.

If you would like to find out more about the best glass for drinking Champagne, read our post here. If you're keen to look "behind the label", with the Level 2 Award in Wines , you'll gain an understanding of the factors that influence the style and quality of the wines you love and discover new styles and regions.

The best ways to preserve wine after opening.