WINE GUIDES · WOUTER PARENT
How long can you keep unopened wine?
There is no single expiry date for all unopened wine. Some bottles are at their best when young; others develop over years. The right question is when this particular wine is likely to taste good to you.
Start with the wine itself
Consider acidity, tannin, concentration and style. Producer guidance and vintage information can help set a drinking window. That window is an estimate, not a promise about every bottle.
Storage changes the answer
Heat, light and damaged closures can shorten a wine’s useful life. An old bottle with a sound label may still have been kept in poor conditions. A known storage history gives you more information than the year on the label alone.
Check as you go
With several bottles, open one occasionally rather than waiting for a theoretical perfect date. Record what you notice and adjust your plan. The drinking window, wine storage and wine fault guides in this knowledge hub can help you interpret the result.
Read next
Try it around the table
Join a guided wine tasting or keep exploring at your own pace.
A tasting at your home More wine guides