How many years can you keep a bottle of wine?


How long a bottle of wine will last depends on a few factors. First, is the bottle opened or unopened?

If a bottle has been opened, it should be consumed right away. Second, how has the wine been stored? If wine has been stored improperly, it may have gone bad before you have even had a chance to pop the cork. The type of wine can also predict how long you can keep a bottle past its expiration date (sometimes listed as drink by or best by).:

• Fine wine: 10-20 years

• Cooking wine: 3-5 years

• White wine: 1-2 years

• Red wine: 2-3 years

If there is no expiration date listed, then check the vintage date. The vintage date is the year that the grapes were harvested for that particular bottle. If you have a bottle of red wine, add 2 years. For white wine, add 1 year. Then, refer to the list above to see if your wine is ready to drink.


As a rule of thumb, most wines purchased at big box or liquor stores are meant to be consumed within a year or two, particularly if you spent less than $30.

This is because most of these wines are meant to be opened right away and are not designed to get better with age.


More expensive, rich red wine is typically what is made to age long term.

If you do invest in one of these bottles, do not simply place the bottle in a cupboard and leave it be. You must store the wine in the proper environment to ensure it ages properly. The finest wines should be stored in a cool dark environment that maintains a consistent temperature (55◦F) with a relative humidity between 70-90%.


If you have already uncorked the bottle but are unable to drink the entire contents in one sitting, you’ll want to store it upright in the refrigerator and keep it sealed with a cork.

White wine can keep for one to two days. Red wine will last for up to two weeks. Vinotemp has many options to help you preserve an open bottle of wine. Shop wine preservers.