Take heart, wine-lovers – an opened, unfinished bottle of wine need not end in a tragedy of muted notes and oxidized acidity.

Oxygen is the not-so-magical ingredient that turns wine into vinegar. So it stands to reason that the key to preserving the life of your wine lies in letting as little oxygen come into contact with it as possible. With this in mind:

– Re-cork the wine after every pour and as soon as possible.

– Keep any open wine out of sight from direct sunlight and fluctuating temperatures. The fridge is usually best.

– Do not store opened wine on its side. This only increases the surface area of the wine exposed to oxygen.

With the right kind of help, a red wine can be stored open for up to 4-5 days. After being opened, reds tend to age more gracefully than their lighter counterparts.