We get this question alot and there are a number of opinions about the best answer.
First off, we sell a fair amount of reverse pumps that exract air from the bottle and theorically that will make it hold up longer. There is also the notion that if you put it in the refridgerator it slows the process and inert gas such as argon that helps to keep the bottle from getting that "flat" taste on day 2. All of these ideas have their merits and if one of them is your favorite and you like the effect on your open bottle of wine, I say keep at it.
Here is the scientific side of this subject...
Oxygen is the killer of your wine. So, using a reverse pump extracts much of the air in your bottle, thus slowing down the oxidation of the wine. In my opinion (not that it counts for much) it works pretty well on a bottle that has had a glass or so taken out of it and is pumped fairly soon after it has been opened. However, If there is a glass left in the bottle and it has been sitting on the table all night you will likely find that the next day it didn't help much. The reason is that the air to wine ratio was to high and you weren't able to get enough of the air out and the wine oxidized. All in all not a bad method if you work it properly and understand the concept of "oxidzed wine" and why it happens.
How about if I put it in the refridergator? Well, my research shows me that most people believe that it slows down the molocules in the wine thereby slowing the process of oxidation. I can only say that my experiences with this method have not been very favorable. I guess if I think about it I would say that if there was 3/4 or more of the bottle left when I put it in the refridgerator it would work better, but that still goes back to the wine, air ratio in the bottle and how quickly it oxidizes. Meaning that if I had the same amount of wine in two bottles and left one on the counter re-corked and put one in the refridge I believe the next day there would not be a decernable difference. That is just my theory, I haven't actually put it to the test. There is also the idea that red wine likes stable temperature so bringing it down in temperature then back up the next day will shock the wine and isn't good for it.If you tried it and been successful feel free to speak up, as I said it is just my own thought.
And then there is inert gas. This one is interesting to me and here's how it works...
Chemistry – Argon is an inert gas and does not interact with wine. Argon is non-metallic, colorless, odorless, tasteless and naturally in the air we breathe. Argon is heavier than oxygen and lighter than wine.
Physics – The heavier gas will displace the lighter gas. Argon displaces the oxygen and creates a vapor barrier between the wine and the oxygen, preventing oxidation from spoiling the wine.
You purchase a can of compressed air (argon) which is heavier than oxygen and when you are going to store your wine overnight or longer you simply spray some of the gas in to the bottle which pushes out some or all of the oxygen and rests on the wine. This does not hurt the wines and it puts a layer of protection down keeping the wine safe from the pesky oxygen. I have actually seen some pretty good results from this method. I guess the only real downsides are cost, $10-15 a can, supply (we don't carry it), and if you are moving it around, the gas is easily jostled which will break up the barrier. I guess as I think about that last thought, if your wine is being jostled around you are probably living through an earthquake and your wine isn't your biggest problem. My experience with the problem is when a salesman brings in a sample bottle that has been jiggling around in their backseat for a couple days an the effect of the gas is muted.
Are you ready for the inside scoop now?
In the trade we have discovered another method... This is the one that caps them all as far as I am concerned and I wish I could credit the person that first told me about it but I just don't remember who it was.
Are you ready?
So simple and yet so ingenious... when I tell people they almost always say "that makes sense, Why didn't I think of it?" and it does, and I didn't either but someone did and it works very well.
Here it is... 1/2 bottles! Now wait just a second let me finish. You don't need to start buying 1/2 bottles for the rest of your life, there just isn't a good enough selection of them out there and they generally have a price tag that is around 3/4's of the price of a full bottle. No, what I am suggesting is to buy a couple of half bottles and keep them once you have enjoyed the wine in them. At my house there are always 3 or 4 on the cabinet that I have soaked the labels off of and rinsed out well with hot water (no soap, I made that mistake, yuk!) and a few clean, good quality corks. If I believe there is a fair to good chance that I will not finish the bottle of wine I am about to open, the first thing I do when I open that bottle is to pour half of it in to one of the bottles that I have stored away. Fill the bottle up right into the neck. The reason is that you want as little air in the bottle as possible, don't get crazy, a little air is fine. If you look at any bottle of wine you will always see a small amount of air in the "neck" or "shoulder" if you tilt it a little. Ok, now push a clean cork down in to the neck until it is jus above the level of wine and voila! You have a bottle that can be held for days, even weeks without any change. It is brilliant and so easy to do. The other great thing about it is that if you decide you want another glass later in the evening all you have to do is pop it open and finish the bottle (happens alot at my house). Rinse the bottle and you are ready for the next time.
Interesting to note that while I was blogging this, I got that very question from a customer that I work with fairly regularly and wouldn't you know it, he left with two 1/2 bottles and a smile on his face.
Cheers
-Patrick
