Little Green Bottle

Sometimes you don't finish a bottle of wine.  Sometimes you even plan to not finish a bottle you open.  Then sometimes you finish more wine than you should.  The solution for the latter is for another time.  The solution for what to do with left over wine is our topic for today.  

The best, most cost effective and simple way to preserve an opened wine is to remove it from its current bottle home and put it into a smaller bottle home.  Like empty nesters selling their four bedroom colonial for a two bedroom rancher.  When I know I am not going to finish a bottle of wine when I open it i break out my mini green bottles first thing.  (This happens more often than not, as the Mrs. and I disagree on wine choices.)  I use the litte 8oz green bottles (pictured above) that were previously ginger ale bottles.  These small green bottle are perfect because they prevent wine deterioration and make for a handy single serving size.  Fill each of the 8oz green bottles as close to the very top of the bottle as you can, at least up to the small neck of the bottle.  Now only the smallest portion of wine is exposed to oxygen as possible.  Oxygen and wine's relationship is like the friend who comes to visit for a few days that turns into a few weeks..  At first oxygen makes wine seem bigger and better than it was, until it has been around too long, then it becomes the wine's mortal enemy.  So keeping oxygen away from wine until you want them to cohabitate is essential in preserving wine.  The fridge is the place for all unfinished wine regardless of color and creed.  The cool air temperature in the fridge also helps to reduce the wines proclivity to self destruction much like it does for any and/or all meat, produce and cheese.  

So in review:

1 Fill small green (8oz) bottle with extra wine to the tippy top of the glass jar. (Put the top on the small green bottle.

2 Refrigerate said jar.

3 When you get home pour yourself a glass out of the well preserved wine.

4 Say hi to the family and change your clothes

5 Drink well preserved wine.  

Enjoy.