How Long Does Cooking Wine Last? (Must Read Tips)

by Philip Thompson
21 June, 2023

There’s no better way of recycling than cooking wine is there?

Whether it’s a bottle of wine bought specifically for the kitchen or leftovers from the weekend, no kitchen is complete without a bottle of cooking wine to hand.

But once you’ve used your bottle for a recipe or two how much longer is it good for?

How long can cooking wine last?

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How Long Does Cooking Wine Last?

Generally, an unopened bottle of cooking wine can be stored for 3 to 5 years. While an opened bottle of cooking wine lasts up to 1 year.

The shelf life of cooking wine varies depending on its style, how it's stored and whether the bottle is opened or unopened.

How Long Does Cooking Wine Last Opened?

So this depends on the cooking wine in question.

Wine made specifically for cooking tends to have some added salt and preservatives, and in this case opened cooking wine can last up to 1 year or until its best before date (if thats more than 1 year).

Leftover wine that you’re using for cooking may not last as long, and this will vary depending on the wine in question so make sure you check in with the wine before each use.

So does this mean that unopened cooking wine can last longer than opened cooking wine?

How Long Does Cooking Wine Last Unopened?

Because of the preservatives added to cooking wine your unopened bottles of cooking wine are probably going to last you between 3-5 years.

Whilst these preservatives will help to reduce the wine’s chance of spoiling over time it's still good to use your cooking wine sooner rather than later.

So how should you store your cooking wine to keep it at its best?

How To Store Opened Cooking Wine

Once your wine has been opened oxygen will start to interact with it, causing changes to its appearance and flavours.

So this is where the added preservatives with cooking wine come in handy, it's a wine that's designed to last for as long as possible whilst opened and living in the kitchen.

Try and store your opened cooking wine in the fridge, as this will help to keep the cooking wine fresh for as long as possible.

But should you store your unopened cooking wine in the fridge too?

How To Store Unopened Cooking Wine

Storing Unopened Cooking Wine

A lot of thought has gone into cooking wine, but it’s not invincible and care should be taken when storing your unopened bottles of cooking wine.

Just like all of your prized bottles, keep your cooking wine in cool and dark conditions, away from noise, light and vibrations.

Just try not to confuse it with the wine you’ve saved for drinking!

So if cooking wine has been designed to keep your wine spoil free for long periods of time, does cooking wine go bad at all?

Does Cooking Wine Go Bad?

Alas, just like all wine, cooking wine is capable of going bad and will deteriorate over time once opened.

Cooking wine has been designed with longevity in mind and the added preservatives will work hard to keep your cooking wine good for as long as possible, between 1-2 years.

So how can you tell if your cooking wine has gone bad?

How Can You Tell If Cooking Wine Has Gone Bad?

Testing If Cooking Wine Has Gone Bad

Okay so your cooking wine has been open for a little while now, so how can you tell if the wine has gone bad?

Just like with drinking wine, you’re going to have to get your senses to work here.

Does the wine smell off to you?

What about the colour, has it faded a little?

No need to try the wine here, but if it’s starting to smell sour and acidic and pouring a different colour then chances are the wine has gone bad.

So can you keep cooking wine in the fridge?

Do You Keep Opened Cooking Wine In The Fridge?

Wine Fridge

Yes, absolutely!

Fridges are the perfect place to keep your opened cooking wine, so the bottle is kept in sanitary conditions and, more importantly, is always to hand when the recipe calls for it.

So should you keep your unopened cooking wine in the fridge, too?

Do You Keep Unopened Cooking Wine In The Fridge?

Okay, so what can you do with your unopened cooking wine to keep it at its best?

Luckily, the preservatives in the cooking wine are already doing the work here, so save your fridge for items with a more immediate shelf life like milk and cheese.

Instead, strive for cool and dark conditions that are free from bright sunlight, loud noises and disruptive vibrations as this will help keep the wine better for longer.

So what is the shelf life of cooking wine? Does cooking wine have an expiration date?

Does Cooking Wine Expire?

Yes, cooking wine will expire over time and most bottles should come with a designated best before date.

Always check the label on your cooking wine to see how long it's going to last you, and try to store it well once opened to help it last for as long as possible.

Summary of How Long Does Cooking Wine Last?

Here's a summary of all you need to know about how long Cooking Wine Lasts:

Topic	Opened Cooking Wine	Unopened Cooking Wine
Expiry Duration	Up to 1 year	3-5 years
Storage for Opened Wine	Refrigerate	-
Storage for Unopened Wine	Cool, dark place	Cool, dark place
Shelf Life	1-2 years	Check label
Signs of Spoilage	Smells off, color change	-