How Long Does Homemade Wine Last? (Quick Guide)

So your first vintage of home made wine is ready and you’re wondering how to keep it at its best for the longest period of time.

Congratulations! Making your own wine is no mean feat, so let's look at the best ways to store your homemade wine and how long you can expect your bottles to last.

First up, the fridge.

How Long Does Homemade Wine Last?

Now homemade wine may not have the same stability as commercial wine, depending on how many sulphites or stabilising chemicals you have added, so a fridge is imperative here.

Putting homemade wine in the fridge will help it to last longer and a well sealed bottle of opened homemade wine may last you for another day or two, depending on the wine.

So how long can you expect your opened bottle of homemade wine to last?

How Long Does Homemade Wine Last Opened?

The sooner you drink your opened wine the better, so treat your homemade wine like a natural wine and aim to drink the bottle within 24 hours.

When storing opened homemade wine try to ensure the bottle has been sealed tightly and refrigerated well and it should last you for a couple of days, but always check in with your wine before pouring.. 

But what about unopened bottles?

How Long Does Homemade Wine Last Unopened?

Wine really can be a mystery when it comes to ageing so it's always better to drink your homemade wine sooner rather than later, just to be on the safe side. 

Keep a document of how your wine tastes over time to give you an idea of how long your bottles may last you in future vintages. 

So if you want to keep your wine at its best how should you store your opened bottles?

How To Store Opened Homemade Wine

All wines, whether they are homemade or shop bought, need storing in the fridge once opened using a stopper, ensuring the bottle is tightly sealed. 

Doing so will help to preserve the wine and keep it at its best.

The aim is to keep the oxygen at bay for as long as possible.

So should your unopened bottles of homemade wine be stored in the same way?

How To Store Unopened Homemade Wine 

The key to storing unopened bottles is to keep them as undisturbed as possible, so be very considerate around the handling of your unopened bottles.

In order to keep your unopened homemade wine happy for as long as possible treat them as you would any other bottle and keep them free of exposure to light, in cool and consistent temperatures and away from loud noises or vibrations. 

So if you follow all of the above will your Homemade Wine still go bad?

Does Homemade Wine Go Bad?

All wines will go bad over time and chances are your homemade wine will go bad over a much shorter period of time.

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

How Can You Tell If Homemade Wine Has Gone Bad?

Here is what you need to look out for to see if your wine is no longer okay to drink:

• The wine has changed in colour, look for brown colouring or any other noticeable colour differences.

• Sediment has started to form in the bottle

• The wine smells funny! Simply put, if the wine smells bad and like vinegar then chances are the wine will taste bad too.

• The wine no longer tastes fresh or vibrant, but slightly thin, sour and generally unpleasant. 

So can a fridge help to keep your homemade wine fresher for longer?

Do You Keep Opened Homemade Wine In The Fridge?

Once opened your Homemade wine should always be stored in the fridge, a refrigerator is your best friend here. 

Simply put a stopper in the bottle to reduce the oxygen impact, ensure the bottle is sealed tightly and then place it back in the fridge.

This will help to keep your wine drinkable for as long as possible.

So does that mean your unopened homemade wine should go in the fridge, too?

Do You Keep Unopened Homemade Wine In The Fridge?

Most wine doesn’t need to stay in the fridge until it is getting ready to be served but colder storage temperatures will help you to keep your homemade wine in a good condition for longer.

So try to keep your unopened wine somewhere cool and dark and keep checking in to see how your bottles are looking over time. 

So does this mean that homemade wine has an expiration date?

Does Homemade Wine Expire?

All wine will expire over time and homemade wine is no exception. The lack of sulphites and chemical stabilisers means your wine may not last for long, so make sure to enjoy the fruits and wine of your labour while it's fresh!

Summary of How Long Does Homemade Wine Last

Here's a summary of all you need to know about how long homemade wine lasts:

Before You Go... 

We hope this provides you all the information you may need on how long does home-made wine last?

Interested to know more about how long wine lasts?

Check out our full guide here:

How Long Does Wine Last

If you have any questions, leave them in the comments, or email us at info@expertwinestorage.co.uk

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