Preserving an Opened Bottle of Wine

[Todd Greeno]

In June, I posted a summary description of tests I was conducting to determine the best low cost way to maximize the time period an opened bottle of wine can be held and enjoyed at a later date:
http://www.wineloverspage.com/forum/village/viewtopic.php?t=8618&highlight=

The results are in, and can be found here:
http://www.hdlenhancement.com/Main/WinePreservationTest.php

Some of the comments to my June posting correctly predicted the results, but there were a few twists.

Cheers!
Todd Greeno
http://www.HDLEnhancement.com/

[ClarkDGigHbr]

KUDOS ... very nicely done.

-- Clark

[Ian Sutton]

Todd
Very professionally planned and reported.

One of the accusations I've seen levelled at vacuum pumps, is that they can 'scalp' a wine, losing some of the more subtle nuances. I didn't see any evidence of this in your write up, though I'm happy to be corrected if I've skim read too quickly.

The point about the vacuum pumps reducing, but not removing the oxygen sounds valid, though from the days I used to use a simple one, I did note that it did manage to 'extract' dissolved wine in the oxygen (following decanting into another bottle) - in some cases quite dramatically, with a bead (not disimilar to champagne) coming up during the pumping. The issue of dissolved oxygen caused by decanting into the spare 1/2 (or cruet), seems to be the only drawback of this approach - but not enough of a drawback it would seem.

Anyway, many thanks for this - very impressive

regards

Ian

[Sue Courtney]

Yes, Thanks Todd. I enjoyed reading your piece. Maybe next time you could consider wine under screwcap as well. Where I come from, many of the wines have screwcap closures and I find they keep quite well for a few days after a small portion has been consumed. In fact, I don't use my vacuum pump any more.

[Victorwine]

Hi Todd,
Very impressive, and nicely done.

Salute

[Paul Winalski]

You did a very nice and well-controlled study.

Of the inferior methods for wine preservation.

The best method of all is a nitrogen dispenser. After first uncorking the bottle, you insert a stopper/dispenser. Before screwing it down into the neck of the bottle, you let nitrogen bleed into the ullage space for about 10 seconds to displace any remaining oxygen-laden air. You then disconnect the stopper/dispenser from the nitrogen tank and screw it down to form a seal. Then you connect the nitrogen supply again and use the stopper/dispenser to pour out the wine.

Using this method, the wine stays fresh indefinitely. I've left a half-full bottle for a three-week vacation, and come back to find it as fresh as when it was first uncorked.

If you use one of the commercial-style nitrogen tanks, there is also no disposable element involved. When it's empty, you just bring the tank back to your local commercial gas supplier to be refilled or exchanged for a full one.

There IS a disposable element involved if you use the smaller nitrogen canisters aimed at the wine enthusiast market. The initial outlay for a small commercial nitrogen tank is greater than the cost of a disposable canister, but the refill cost for the commercial tank is less, so the break-even point occurs after several refills.

Now I'll be the first to admit that this is also the most expensive of the various wine preservation alternatives. But it also works the best--and doesn't involve expendables.

As to the all the vacuum systems, IMO, compared to a nitrogen dispenser, they suck.

-Paul W.

[wrcstl]

Nicely done and the results are logical if you realize oxygen is the enemy and that the pump is mainly a marketing tool. I frequently use the 375 bottle and used to keep clean marbles around to fill up a 750 and get rid of "excess oxygen space". The marbles were too much trouble but in my limited experience worked as well as a 375. It is not uncommon to have some wine left but another interesting poll would be how many people actually save wine for more than 2 days?
Walt

[Carl Eppig]

We agree that the test is first rate. Also agree with Walt both in the method of preservation (we use a dark screwtop 375 ml), and the observation about preserving for more than two days!

[Robin Garr]

Great report, Todd ... piling on with applause.

One nit to pick with the poll options, though: I would have liked the option "No influence, my mind was already made up." Without scientific rigor but based on considerable anecdotal evidence, I wouldn't have bought one even without the benefit of your research. I won't go to the extent of rating them at the same scam level as magnetic and other cosmic wine "enhancers/agers," but I don't believe they show any real benefit over simply recorking the bottle and refrigerating it.

[David Creighton]

i note that all the samples are red wines. i know this might sound odd; but my latest method for keeping white wine is to put the bottle in the refig - without any closure at all. it seems to me to do better than treating in in any way - including resealing even with a screw cap.

[Todd Greeno]

The test stated that we would not include any inert gas systems in this review...

If you use one of the commercial-style nitrogen tanks, there is also no disposable element involved. When it's empty, you just bring the tank back to your local commercial gas supplier to be refilled or exchanged for a full one.

This is not very practical for anyone living in a New York City apartment. Also given that the 90 point wine only slipped to 88 points when left undisturbed in the WFL cruet for 8 days, I'm not sure either Nitrogen system is worth the hassle or complications.

I prefer to consume the wine right away, anyway

Thanks for weighing-in as every opinion is important.

Cheers!
Todd

[Todd Greeno]

Right!...

i note that all the samples are red wines. i know this might sound odd; but my latest method for keeping white wine is to put the bottle in the refig - without any closure at all. it seems to me to do better than treating in in any way - including resealing even with a screw cap.

I use the same process for white wines, and keep the small bottles (with a cork) in the refrig -- While I haven't done the scientific analysis with the whites (yet), my recollection is that I have kept wine for almost two weeks this way -- this has been infrequent, mind you, because I will generally finish the opened bottles within a few days.

Cheers!
Todd

[Bob Macdonald]

Quite a number of years ago I was thinking about buying one of the "pump systems" so I inquired of a local restauranter about what system would work best:

He began to respond seriously and then paused...smiled...and too correctly observed, "Macdonald, when is the last time you opened a bottle of wine that you did not finish?"

Point, Set, Match!!