Sommelier's 'life-changing' tip to store leftover wine is not what you'd expect

A SOMMELIER HAS SHARED HER GO-TO TIP TO STORE LEFTOVER RED AND WHITE WINE TO PREVENT IT FROM SPOILING OR HAVING THE FLAVOUR CHANGE OVERTIME, AND IT'S NOT WHAT YOU'D MIGHT EXPECT

15:09, 03 Jun 2025 If you've ever opened a bottle of wine and then forgotten about it for a while, you may have noticed a distinct change in its flavour. Certain wines benefits from

being aired before drinking, as exposure to oxygen enhances their taste and bouquet. This process, known as aeration, mellows the tannins and can mimic the effects of ageing. However,

leaving wines exposed to air for too long can spoil their flavours. Because of this, most people are aware that if you don't finish an opened bottle of wine, you need to reseal it

before storing it to keep it fresh. A sommelier named Warner has now revealed her top tips for correctly storing wine at home to prevent it from spoiling, and it might not be what you'd

expect. "I know it sounds mad, but if you ever find yourself with leftover wine, don't put the cork back in the bottle. I have a much better tip that's going to revolutionise

your life," Warner said in her TikTok video. She continued: "If you were to put the cork back on a half-empty bottle of wine, you'll see that half of this still contains

oxygen, and corks are porous. This will still allow oxygen to enter your wine - not ideal." Article continues below "What you really want to do is reduce the amount of oxygen to

wine ratio. What I recommend is a mason jar." Warner then filmed herself emptying a glass of red wine into a mason jar - though any airtight container will do - and firmly securing the

top. "In desperate times, I have cleaned out a kombucha container and used that," Warner shared. "Seal it tight and there you have it." This preservation technique

ensures the wine keeps its freshness by minimising exposure to oxygen, which is what makes the flavour change. "I swear by this, it will make your wine still taste fresh even a couple

of days after you've opened it, whereas a day after I open a bottle of wine and put the cork back on, I can tell the difference," Warner said. Several viewers were quick to express

their gratitude to Warner for sharing her useful advice. "This is the mason jar meal prep content I've been waiting for," one viewer said, while another added: "AND!

Party bonus you can just drink it right out of the jam jar #KeepinItClassy." One commentator humorously remarked: "Leftover wine. I've read about it but never experienced it.

I thought it was an urban myth!" Some also took their opportunity to ask the sommelier their own questions about how to store wine, such as in what temperature to store leftover red

wine. To this, Warner said: "I keep reds in the fridge if I know I won't finish it the next day, then pull out an hour b4 u drink to come to room temp!" Article continues

below Another viewer also asked if vacuum wine stoppers could serve as a viable alternatives, t which Warner replied: "I use them in addition to this method! But this works better

imo."