[Drinking wine] Part 3. How to store wine

When it comes to expiration dates, we tend to get caught up in the numbers set by the manufacturer.

For example, if the expiration date of milk is approaching, if there is even a minute or a second delay after that, you'll have to throw it away, which is a big problem!

You are concerned about that, aren't you?

I will chase after you.

But that seems a bit too serious to me.

I don't mean to be serious at all though (laughs).

Maybe I'm just too neurotic.

Just because the expiration date has passed a little, it doesn't mean that the food has gone bad or that the taste has deteriorated drastically.

…Well, that is,
So you get to decide the expiration date yourself...?

Yes, it's better to decide for yourself.
It's common to find wine, both red and white, that tastes good after three days.

Huh! Is that so!?

I thought that if I didn't drink it all on the same day I opened it, the flavor would go bad...!!

Oxidation is what causes the biggest change in taste in wine.

So, in an unopened bottle, oxidation only happens gradually. There is oxygen in the bottle, so some oxidation occurs. Oxidation continues little by little, and when you open the bottle, the oxidation increases dramatically.

One hour, two hours, one day, two days, three days, etc., and depending on the wine, some actually taste better on the third day.

fart~~~!

You might not understand this unless you experience it.
It really is true, wow, the third day is much better.

So, in this graph, it's about where in the zone you drink it after opening.

When it reaches the top, it becomes "rancid" and is too sour to drink, but ultimately it is the human tongue that decides at what point the wine has become rancid.

So, the question is, at what stage do you think food is still delicious before oxidation progresses and it goes rancid?

You mean to what extent can you forgive yourself?

Is that the expiration date for me?

That's right.
So, even if the sake is surprisingly oxidized, I don't think there's any problem with drinking it if you think it's delicious.

If you're an ant, then you're an ant, right?

It's totally good.

Besides, it's not always best when it's freshly opened.

No way!

It's not the best.

Wait, wait, does it smell best when it's freshly opened? Or is that not the case?

The aroma may be closed. Red wines are generally closed.

The scent closes!? This is getting complicated again!?!?

For example, when it comes to red wine, it's actually better to uncork it in advance, such as while you're cooking, rather than uncorking it when you have a party and want to have a toast.

Wow~~~
Should I just leave the plug out?

yes.

Do I not need to do this? The slosh slosh thing, de...decant?

I read too much manga

I think it's worth giving it a try.

Decanting causes more oxidation, so if you try it once and compare it to a wine that has not been decanted, you will definitely see the difference.

So, does that mean that it's usually best to uncork red wine about an hour before drinking it...? Or is that the case?

That's right. I think that red wine often has a closed aroma at first. Then, the aroma opens up as it oxidizes.

So, if you want to oxidize the wine immediately after opening it, it's effective to swirl the wine around. This will cause the wine to oxidize quickly in the glass, which will help bring out the aroma.

I'm learning a lot!

I'll try it next time!

Is it okay to store the wine I bought at room temperature?

To get into the details, it's not that good.
Well, everyone has their own circumstances, so it can't be helped. You can't say that every household should buy a wine cellar.

How should I store a bottle that has been partially consumed? An opened bottle.
For example, is it better to put it upright or horizontally in the refrigerator?

Hmm? If it's horizontal, the surface area becomes larger, right?

That's right, that's right.

Wow, you're right, so... I guess I should stop.

If you lay it on its side, it will oxidize faster.

Yeah, let’s stand it up…

Ah, but that's true for all drinks...

That's right, that's right.

I can't fit everything in my fridge if I stand it all up (sweat)

So, so!
Another thing to be careful about is the door pockets! They're not very good.

Yeah!!!!!!
Isn't it okay because it's vertical?

Because you open it a lot and a lot? That's not okay?

Yes. I open and close it, open and close it, over and over again every day.
That's the same as swirling.

Oh no~...
So there are probably very few places where you can stand it up in the fridge...

Hmm, I guess I'll drink it all in one day! (laughs)

Actually, I drink red wine without even putting it in the refrigerator... I thought it was better not to chill it. I always chill white wine though.

That's fine.
As long as it's not exposed to direct sunlight, it's fine.

Well, it's difficult in the summer because the room temperature gets too high.
I think winter is a different story.

It depends on the item, but many items are fine even on the third day.

3 days!

It's totally fine. I think everyone is being too sensitive about how many days you have to drink it.

But I feel like things like sake wouldn't taste as good anymore.
It's really best when it's freshly opened.

Hmm, I thought it would be okay if I put it in the fridge and it was cold.

I wonder if it's a mood (laughs)

Yes, but sake is also vulnerable to oxidation.

Of course it's drinkable and doesn't taste bad at all, but it does leave me with the impression that it was more delicious yesterday.

Wow~~~

But unfortunately... I always put it in the door pocket... so I was swirling sake around (lol)

It's a bit of a hassle, but you can transfer it into a small bottle.

Like in small portions???

Yes, it is divided into small portions and sealed.

If you want to drink wine over two days and want to keep it from oxidizing, transfer it into a smaller bottle first.

So, if you put it in the fridge when there's almost no oxygen, it should be okay to put it on its side.
Then you can just drink whatever's left in the bottle that day.

If you do this, the wine will last quite a long time if stored in an airtight container.

I see… that means you need to plan ahead… (laughs)

It's not such a big deal though (laughs).

But that's so cool! I hadn't thought of that at all.
I'll definitely try it next time!

As expected, sommelier advice makes all the difference!

I certainly can't think of any!
Actually, I wasn't really conscious of trying to make it taste good.
I end up thinking, "Oh well."

Yeah, I'm basically of the "it's okay" camp too, yeah.

Something like an airtight jar for jam would be good.

Yeah, that's fine too.

You can boil it in a bottle, and the wide mouth makes it easier to clean.

Once you buy one, you can use it forever!

Let's try it!

Yes, please give it a try!

I've been hearing a lot about wine and I've realized that if you want to make good progress, you have to keep records. Even if it's just a simple record, it's fine.

It's about the wine you drank.

Yes, to find out what trends you like.

Yes, in that case, using notes on your cell phone would be a good idea.

An app or something?

The app is great, but it's also a lot easier to just take a photo and add a comment to it.

Just by making a note of the country, variety, likes and dislikes, and the star rating you give it, you can accumulate a lot of experience points.

That's right. I think keeping records is important in order to know your preferences.

I guess you wouldn't do something like this unless someone told you to.

That's true, but since everyone has a smartphone, we should make use of it.

I wish I had a simple idea.

Natchan, let's try doing something together first!

Yes! Let's try it!
You can use Instagram or other social media, and keep it private.
If that's not your thing, you could use the memo function. There are a lot of possibilities.

So, you two, why don't you put together a summary of how to keep records? (laughs)

This is a special edition (laughs).
Yes, I'll try it!

Thank you again, Iwasu-san!

I'll choose one, buy it, and try it! I can't wait to try it! I'm looking forward to it~♡

Yes, we've made another step forward, that's great!