How long does wine last?

Checked 24 Oct 20262 official publishers, 4 sources

Red wine: 3-5 years in the pantry.

Storage times for wine by state and place
State	Pantry	Fridge 40 °F
Red wine	3-5 years FoodKeeper	Not stated
Red wine, opened	Not stated	1-3 days FoodKeeper
White wine	1-2 years FoodKeeper	Not stated
White wine, opened	Not stated	1-3 days FoodKeeper
Cooking wine	Until the use-by date FoodKeeper	Until the use-by date FoodKeeper

Times assume continuous refrigeration at 40 °F or below. When in doubt, throw it out. Freezer times are for quality: “Because freezing 0° F (-18° C) keeps food safe indefinitely, the following recommended storage times are for quality only.” FDA

Sources compared

Source	State	Pantry	Fridge
USDA FSIS (FoodKeeper) 2018	Red wine	3-5 years	-
USDA FSIS (FoodKeeper) 2018	Red wine, opened	-	1-3 days
USDA FSIS (FoodKeeper) 2018	White wine	1-2 years	-
USDA FSIS (FoodKeeper) 2018	White wine, opened	-	1-3 days
USDA FSIS (FoodKeeper) 2018	Cooking wine	Until the use-by date	Until the use-by date

A dash means that source gives no time for that place.

Handling and freezing notes

Dark, away from direct heat or sunlight. FoodKeeper
Dark, away from direct heat or sunlight. FoodKeeper
“Wine: Freeze wine in 1 tablespoon measurements in an ice cube tray to be used for cooking.” Extension

What the sources say

FoodKeeper gives red wine 3 to 5 years in the pantry and white wine a shorter 1 to 2 years.¹²

For both red and white wine, it advises a dark spot away from direct heat or sunlight.¹²

Once a bottle is opened, the times become the same for both colors: 1 to 3 days in the refrigerator.¹²

Cooking wine has its own FoodKeeper entry, which gives no number of years and instead points to the package use-by date, whether the bottle is kept in the pantry or in the fridge.³

For leftover wine, the University of Illinois Extension suggests freezing it in 1 tablespoon measurements in an ice cube tray, to be used later for cooking.⁴

FoodKeeper lists no freezer time for either color.¹²

The years red wine can spend in the pantry therefore shrink to a few days in the fridge once the bottle has been opened.¹

In that Illinois tip, the tablespoon is the measure for each cube, so the frozen wine comes out in small portions meant for cooking.⁴

Rules that apply here

Freezing and refreezing

Vinegar

Sources

USDA FoodKeeper data v128, product 462: Red wine. USDA FSIS (FoodKeeper). Dated 2018-09-06. Checked 2026-10-24. Red wine. Pantry: 3-5 Years (Dark, away from direct heat or sunlight.); Refrigerate_After_Opening: 1-3 Days; Refrigerate_After_Thawing: 0-
USDA FoodKeeper data v128, product 463: White wine. USDA FSIS (FoodKeeper). Dated 2018-09-06. Checked 2026-10-24. White wine. Pantry: 1-2 Years (Dark, away from direct heat or sunlight.); Refrigerate_After_Opening: 1-3 Days; Refrigerate_After_Thawing: 0-
USDA FoodKeeper data v128, product 636: Cooking wine. USDA FSIS (FoodKeeper). Dated 2018-09-06. Checked 2026-10-24. Cooking wine. Pantry: Package use-by date; Refrigerate: Package use-by date
Leftovers | Food | Illinois Extension | Illinois. University of Illinois Extension. No date on the page. Checked 2026-10-24. Wine: Freeze wine in 1 tablespoon measurements in an ice cube tray to be used for cooking.
REFRIGERATOR & FREEZER STORAGE CHART. FDA. Dated 2018-03-01. Checked 2026-10-24. Because freezing 0° F (-18° C) keeps food safe indefinitely, the following recommended storage times are for quality only.