How long should you cellar your wine? And how long can you keep it once opened? Here's a rough guide. Your mileage may vary according to the vintage and the brand.
| Wine type | Style | Example | Cellaring | Drink within |
| White | Off dry, aromatic | Sauvignon blanc | 2 years | 48 hrs |
|
Dry, structured |
Chardonnay, Riesling | 5-10 years | 72 hours | |
|
Sweet dessert |
Noble sémillon, late harvest | to 10 years | 24 hours | |
| Red |
Off dry |
Ella Semmler's Shiraz | 2 years | 24 hours |
|
Lighter bodied |
Sangiovese | 3 years | 24 hours | |
|
Medium bodied, structured |
Touriga Nacional | 8 years | 72 hours | |
|
Full bodied |
Shiraz, Tempranillo | 10-15 years | 48 hours | |
|
Monster |
Durif, Lagrein, Petit Verdot | 15-30 years | 72 hours | |
| Fortified |
Apera, sherry - dry |
Pale Dry, Amontillado | Max 2 years | 3 weeks |
|
Apera, sherry, sweet |
Cream, oloroso, black (pedro ximinex) | Max 2 years | 2 weeks | |
|
Fresh bottle aged |
White fortified, Ruby | Max 5 years | 4 weeks | |
|
Vintage bottle aged |
Vintage port | to 30 years | 24 hours | |
|
Barrel aged |
Tawny, Topaque, Muscat | 1 year | 4 weeks |
Hint: If you are uncertain whether your wine is still good, open it! You're better to enjoy it today than regret it tomorrow.
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