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It’s easy to indulge with a great bottle of Lambrusco when you’re enjoying great friends and good food, but what to do with the Lambrusco that’s left? Do most people assume that storing Lambrusco in the kitchen fridge is the best way to keep it fresh for extended periods, but, is that actually the case?
Lambrusco is the name of both a grape and the region in Italy where it comes from. Italian Lambrusco is typically produced from the clay soil vineyards in and around the Po River Valley near Modena. Though originally from the Apennines, Lambrusco can also be found elsewhere in Italy, namely in Sicily and the Alto Adige. The grape has been transported to the New World and has taken root in places like Argentina and the Central Valley of California.
Lambrusco is a lighter red wine with a slight fizz and should be stored (opened as well as unopened) in the refrigerator or in a cool room or closet because of its somewhat delicate makeup. Lambrusco is not a wine that is made to age for decades or even years, so Lambrusco wine does not keep well when shuttled from the fridge to the shelf.
This article will cover all the proper ways that you can store your Lambrusco, including refrigeration, and what happens to Lambrusco when it is stored improperly.
TIP: If you want to check out the best refrigerator for wine storage, I recommend trying out the Avation (18 bottles) compressor refrigerator with Wi-fi smart app control cooling system. You can find this refrigerator by clicking here (Amazon link).
How to Store Lambrusco After Opening
After opening Lambrusco, put it in the refrigerator. Another option is using a professional wine preserver if you don’t mind paying. This will keep your wine fresh for even longer. There are many gadgets and devices available. Two wine preservation systems seem to be the most popular and effective. Read below for examples.
Vacuum pumps suck the air out of an opened bottle so it can be re-sealed hermetically without the oxygen affecting the wine. This is an affordable option commonly used in restaurants and bars.
The best-known brand is called Vacu-Vin: this company invented the vacuum pump wine preservation system (Amazon link). They promise up to two weeks extra life for an opened bottle of wine.
Inert wine gas preservation systems can keep your opened wine fresh for even longer, but this is usually more of an enthusiast option since it can be quite expensive.
This system is based on inserting an inert gas – usually argon – into the bottle. This gas, being heavier than oxygen, creates a protective layer on the surface of the wine.
From the moment you open the bottle of Lambrusco, the clock is ticking, and your wine is beginning to lose its aromas and flavor characteristics.
Wine has quite a few enemies – light and heat among the worst. But exposure to oxygen is the greatest threat it faces. Oxygen turns wine into vinegar.
So when considering how to preserve wine, it’s key to make sure that your wine is protected from exposure to the air as much as possible. A good start is remembering to close the bottle after each pour.
Recommendation box: Everything you need to enjoy your wine as much as possible. All recommended products are personally tested and regularly used by experts from this website (Amazon links):
> Ivation Wine Cooler – Energy-efficient wine cooler for 18 bottles with Wi-fi smart app control cooling system.
> Wine Rack – Beautiful, elegant wood rack for up to 7 bottles and the choice of vertical or horizontal storage.
> Durand Wine Opener – Classic vintage wine opener (we like all these classic staff).
> YouYah Iceberg Wine Decanter – The most beautiful and handy wine decanter we personally use.
> Bormioli Rocco Wine Glasses – A set of eight elegant and traditional wine glasses made in Italy.
> Vintorio Wine Aerator – Simple but really useful wine aerator for a reasonable price.
> The Original Vacu Vin Wine Saver – The best wine saver on the market in a package with two vacuum stoppers and two wine servers.
And if you want to become a true connoisseur of wine, we recommend reading the book Wine Folly: The Essential Guide to Wine (Amazon link), where you will find all the information you need about winemaking, wine varieties, flavors, and much more.
Lambrusco Storage Temperature
Lambrusco should be stored between 45 and 65 degrees Fahrenheit. The temperature should not fluctuate and should be kept consistent at all times. Italian Lambrusco could be compared to white wine in terms of storage temperature, so long-term storage at 40 degrees and lower will eventually stunt the maturity of the wine.
Essentially, wine does not sit well with temperature fluctuations, and moving it from room to room, in addition to putting it into a very cold refrigerator, will definitely throw it off. It is always better to keep it stored at one consistent temperature.
Keeping it in a storage room away from electrical appliances is a great idea. However, if the room is too hot, it will “cook” the wine, leading to a raisin-like and musky flavor. A room that is too cold will make wine flat and without the body.
TIP: Do you know the difference between a wine cooler and a refrigerator? Read this article to find out. This guide discusses refrigerator temperatures and explains how cold they can get.
Many times you will hear the expression, “Serve wine at room temperature”, but what does this mean?
While the Oxford English Dictionary states that room temperature is conventionally taken as about 20 °C (68 °F), it might actually surprise you to discover that what’s referred to as ‘room temperature for wines’ might be a bit cold, as it’s actually, a bit cooler: 15 to 18 °C (59–64 °F).
What we’ve come to expect as normal room temperature is actually quite a bit warmer than the optimal serving temperature for wines. With the widespread use of air conditioning and central heating, rooms can often be either too hot or even sometimes too cold.
Does Lambrusco need to be refrigerated?
Lambrusco needs to be refrigerated, but only at certain temperatures and only for a limited amount of time. Ideally, it should be stored between 45 and 65 degrees Fahrenheit, but because most fridges are not set to maintain temperatures above 40 degrees, this method of storage is not recommended for long-term use.
Because they’re usually best enjoyed chilled, putting opened white wines in the fridge feels instinctive, but when it comes to red wine, because its characteristics are better expressed in warmer temperatures, any form of chilling might seem like a faux pas.
But you shouldn’t be afraid of storing your opened Lambrusco in the fridge. Cooler temperatures slow down chemical processes, including oxidation. A re-closed bottle of red (or white) wine in the fridge can stay relatively fresh for up to five days.
TIP: Are you interested in buying a wine stopper? We’ve personally tried and recommend buying one of these wine stoppers (Amazon links):
- The Original Vacu Vin Wine Saver: Our top choice. Very easy-to-use wine stopper/saver. You can enjoy a glass of fresh wine whenever you want without worrying about wasting any.
- EZBASICS Wine Saver: Great alternative to Original Vacu Vin Saver. This wine stopper keeps the flavor of wine for up to one week.
- Champagne Stopper by MiTBA: Wine stoppers for sparkling wines are different. This wine stopper seals your bottle and increases the pressure so your beverage’s bubbles won’t go to waste.
If you want to store Lambrusco for a long time to get the best development inside the bottle, the temperature must be controlled and regulated, and this means not in the refrigerator. Your storage area must be kept at a lower than room temperature at 10-15 °C (50-59°F).
How long does Lambrusco last after opening?
An opened bottle of Lambrusco can last for up to five days in the refrigerator. If using a vacuum pump, the wine can last up to two weeks. Inert gas preservation systems that create a protective layer over the wine can preserve Lambrusco for up to 30 days.
Coravin is the best-known inert gas preservation system on the market today. This brand offers a device with a needle that punctures a hole in the cork to extract wine without pulling the cork out, thus avoiding any contact with oxygen. The wine is then replaced with argon gas, and the cork naturally re-seals as if the bottle had never been opened.
There is also an option for screw cap wines that, according to Coravin, can keep the wine fresh for up to three months.
Private Preserve is a more affordable solution is a gas canister system. This works in a similar way to Coravin. You insert a mixture of gas into the bottle to protect the wine from oxygen.
With this system, you have to uncork the bottle and use the gas when resealing it, so there will be some exposure to oxygen. Private Preserve promises that the wine will last “for months and even years”.
(A quick note about preservation systems: wine preservation systems, unfortunately, do not work for sparkling wines. Inert gas-based systems are only suitable for still wines, while the vacuum pumps will suck out the bubbles, leaving the wine flat).
TIP: Most wines go bad once you pop the cork within a day or so. But a Coravin Wine Preservation system (available for a great price on Amazon) can extend the life of your opened wine for weeks or even months. It is awesome. You should check it out to see if it fits your lifestyle.
If you don’t want to invest in an expensive wine preservation system, you could consider decanting your leftover wines into smaller bottles and keeping them in the fridge under a screw cap. There’s less room for air in small bottles, so less exposure to oxygen.
TIP: To learn how to store white wine after opening, check out this article. To discover if wine fridges are only for storing white wine, check out this complete guide. For a complete breakdown of how to store wine long-term in 8 simple steps, read this guide.
How to Store Unopened Lambrusco
Be sure to store unopened Lambrusco in a dark room, closet, pantry, or, if you have access to one, a wine cellar. Direct light is dangerous for all wines, and they should always be stored in the dark.
Strong light can damage a wine’s flavors/aromas and lead to discoloration, but Lambrusco is sold in darker bottles, so the sunlight’s negative effect cannot get in.
Does Lambrusco Go Bad if Unopened?
As previously mentioned, Lambrusco should be stored without exposure to bright light in order to not go bad when unopened.
This includes UV sunlight or fluorescent LED lighting. Lighting can often contribute to the wine heating up as well as temperature fluctuations, and your Lambrusco might go bad in this instance.
There is also substantial research that shows that light causes chemical restructuring in the bottle, hence why wine is rarely bottled in clear glass bottles! The basis of this is that sulfurous compounds are created at a faster rate which essentially speeds up aging and can develop unpleasant flavors.
How long can Lambrusco last unopened?
Lambrusco wine can last 1-3 years unopened as long as you imagine you are putting the bottle to bed! It needs to sleep in the dark and on its side. This is most important when the bottle is sealed with a cork. Over time the cork will dry out. If stored vertically, the cork can crumble into the bottle and also let air in, thus oxidizing the wine and spoiling its flavors.
TIP: Having quality storage racks for your wine is not only practical but can also serve as a nice design accessory for your home. We loved these (Amazon links):
- Ferfil Wine Rack (10 Bottles): Concertina/scissor fold wooden wine rack made of solid, eco-friendly wood.
- Gusto Nostro Wood Wine Rack: Beautiful, elegant design, the possibility of storing up to 7 bottles, and the choice of vertical or horizontal storage.
If the bottle is laid flat, the cork is constantly in contact with moisture, preventing it from drying out. Some bottles of Lambrusco are sealed with a screw cap.
In this case, you don’t need to store it on its side. If your wine has a screw cap, it can be stored standing vertically. It is a common myth that screw-cap wines can’t be aged. Many wines are now sealed using this method (around 25-30%), and some of the best wines from Australia and New Zealand have screw caps.
If you want to age wine with a screw cap closure, it is best to pick a wine that already has the body, tannins, alcohol, and structure, like Lambrusco.
TIP: If you want to know more about how to store your wines correctly, check out this article. For the complete breakdown of storing wines with natural and synthetic corks, check out this article.
Conclusion
Since so much of the storage conundrum has to do with air, let’s take a look at why it matters so much when storing opened or unopened Lambrusco.
So much of the process of creating wine is controlling how much air touches the drink. Grapes undergo two types of fermentation to become wine:
One is Aerobic fermentation which uses oxygen to feed yeasts that turn the natural sugars in the juice into carbon dioxide. This initial fermentation can take up to 5 to 10 days.
The second fermentation happens when the juice is resting in a barrel. This is called anaerobic fermentation, which is the process of yeast breaking down glucose without the presence of oxygen. This process takes up to three weeks.
After the second fermentation, exposure to oxygen is detrimental to the wine’s maturity. However, a little bit of air is a good thing for wine.
Ethanol – alcohol – is less dense than the juice in the bottle, and it sits right on top of the wine. If you look closely enough at your Lambrusco, you will see a translucent layer of liquid on top of the wine: that is straight alcohol.
Once a bottle of wine is opened, the ethanol vapors are released, which has an overpowering aroma. That is why you hear people say, “This wine needs to breathe.” This means that the Lambrusco needs to oxidize for a moment and let the initial vapors settle.
With that said, always store Lambrusco with a cork or cap. Too much air will jump-start aerobic fermentation in the wine, causing spoilage. Reinsert the cork or use a bottle stopper to store the wine. This is why storing open or closed bottles of Lambrusco in the kitchen fridge can be problematic.
TIP: Check out this page for a complete list of wine products and accessories I love. You’ll find my recommendations for wine refrigerators, decanters, and aerators and the best place to buy wine online. Click here to see the complete listing.