How to store wine
Best place: the pantry until opened, then the fridge. Unopened, wine keeps for 3 to 5 years in the pantry. Once opened, the fridge gives 1 to 3 days.
Where these times come from. USDA FoodKeeper has no entry named "wine". The 3 kinds on this page are the USDA entries that cover wine, copied without change from Red wine, White wine and Cooking wine. Each row in the table is one USDA entry; pick the one that matches what you have.
3 to 5 years
from purchase
Dark, away from direct heat or sunlight.
1 to 3 days
after opening
No guideline
USDA notes for wine
- red: Dark, away from direct heat or sunlight.
- white: Dark, away from direct heat or sunlight.
How to tell wine has gone bad
General signs for beverages, the group USDA lists wine under.
- Fizzy drinks that have gone flat or taste metallic
- Sour or curdled smell from opened juice or milk alternatives
- Cloudiness or separation that will not shake back together
- Cork pushed slightly out or wine that smells like vinegar
- Mould ring forming at the neck of a bottle or carton
More on beverages. The times above are quality guidelines, not safety limits; food that shows these signs goes out regardless of the date.
Storage habits that make the difference
Refrigerate opened juice, milk alternatives and any dairy-based drinks, and use them within about a week. Store unopened cans and bottles upright in a cool, dark spot away from direct sunlight. Keep coffee and tea in airtight containers away from heat and moisture to preserve flavour longer.
How to store other beverages
Source: USDA FSIS FoodKeeper dataset (public domain). How we decode the data.