How Long Does Riesling Last? Opened, Unopened, Does It Expire / Go Bad

by Philip Thompson
Updated on 22 October, 2024

How Long Does Riesling Last? (Opened, Unopened & Expiry)

Riesling is the darling of the wine world, and for good reason. Beautifully aromatic with lime acidity and stone fruit complexity to die for, Riesling really is a noble grape.

A big part of Riesling’s popularity is its ageing potential, so how long, exactly, does Riesling last for?

Let’s look at opened bottles of Riesling first, shall we?

How Long Does Riesling Last Opened?

How Long Opened Riesling Wine Lasts

If you keep your opened Riesling with care, Riesling will be good to drink for up to 4 days after opening.

But what about those unopened bottles you’ve been saving for a special occasion?

How long are your unopened bottles of Riesling good for?

How Long Does Riesling Last Unopened?

Most Riesling wines will be best drunk within a 5 year timeline.

However, there are lots of quality Rieslings with ageing potential that may be able to last for about 7 years, as long as the bottles are stored well.

But what does storing well look like once the Riesling has been opened?

How To Store Opened Riesling

Okay so you’ve opened a bottle of Riesling that you’re not going to finish.

Fear not, simply tightly stopper your opened Riesling and try to keep the bottle in a cool and dark environment away from disturbances.

This will help keep it zingy and fresh for up to 4 days.

A wine cooler does a perfect job for keeping opened Riesling in ideal conditions but a domestic fridge will work well here, too.

But what about storing unopened bottles of Riesling?

How To Store Unopened Riesling

Riesling wines will like lots of quiet and calm, so store any unopened bottles of Riesling somewhere cool and dark, where there will be minimal interruptions from vibrations and loud noises.

Specialised wine storage, such as wine cellars, a display wine wall or wine coolers work great here, and at Expert Wine Storage we can help with any questions you may have.

But will Riesling go bad over time?

Does Riesling Go Bad?

Riesling is known for its perfumed aromatics of honeysuckle, nectarine and even petrol and alas, the sought after tasting notes of Riesling will go bad over time.

So how do you know if a Riesling has gone bad?

How Can You Tell If Riesling Has Gone Bad?

Smell, Appearance, Taste to Tell if Riesling has gone bad

Riesling has a really distinctive perfume so it’s fairly easy to spot when it’s gone bad:

The Riesling itself will look hazy or cloudy and may have turned brown in colour.

All of those gorgeous aromas will have disappeared, so if the Riesling smells bad then it's safe to assume it’ll be bad to drink, too.

If you want to risk a taste look for very thin, sour and acidic notes. If a Riesling has gone bad it will have lost all of its trademark opulence.

So can a fridge help to keep Riesling fresher for longer?

Do You Keep Opened Riesling In The Fridge?

Yes, opened bottles of Riesling can absolutely go in the fridge and this will help to keep them chilled and fresh for as long as possible.

So can unopened bottles of Riesling go in the fridge, too?

Do You Keep Unopened Riesling In The Fridge?

If you have a specialised wine fridge then you can keep any unopened bottles in there, safe in the knowledge they’ll be stored in perfect conditions.

However, try to avoid keeping Riesling in a kitchen fridge for long periods of time.

They haven’t been designed with wine in mind and will keep your wine too cold and may even dry out the cork over time.

Instead, try to put your unopened Riesling somewhere cool with little exposure to noise, light and vibrations.

Just remember where you put them so you don’t forget the bottles!

But does that mean Riesling has an expiration date?