Crisp & lightDry white
Chasselas / Fendant · Petite Arvine · Johannisberg
Unopened bottle
Drink within 1 to 3 years
Once opened
2-3 days in the fridge, recorked
No need to wait: it's made to be drunk young, on its freshness.
Guide · Keeping well
Does wine
keep?
How long unopened, where to store it, what to do with the opened bottle. No wine cellar required.
The good news: there’s no rush
Most wines are best enjoyed young, on their fruit — no need to wait. And the full-bodied or sweet styles can happily wait years without a problem. You really can’t go wrong.
Crisp & lightDrink within 1 to 3 years
Round & fruityDrink within 2 to 4 years
Supple & fruityDrink within 1 to 3 years
Powerful & structuredCan age 5 to 15 years
Fresh & festiveDrink within 1 to 2 years
Sweet & indulgentLong ageing: 10 years and beyond
Where to store them? No cellar needed
Lying flat, cool (10-14°), away from light and large temperature swings.
A cool cupboard or a corner of the garage is plenty for wines to drink within 2-3 years. The only nuance: if you keep a full-bodied or sweet wine for several years, give it a truly cool and stable spot.
Style by style
Round & fruityFull white
Chardonnay · Pinot Gris · Heida / Païen · Amigne
Unopened bottle
Drink within 2 to 4 years
Once opened
2-3 days in the fridge, recorked
Best within 2-3 years; some even improve with a little patience.
Supple & fruityLight red
Gamay · Pinot Noir · Dôle · Gamaret jeune
Unopened bottle
Drink within 1 to 3 years
Once opened
2-3 days, corked, kept cool
Enjoy it on its fruit, within 1 to 3 years. No point hiding it in the cellar.
Powerful & structuredFull-bodied red
Cornalin · Humagne Rouge · Syrah · Merlot (Tessin)
Unopened bottle
Can age 5 to 15 years
Once opened
3-5 days, corked, kept cool
You can drink it now, or let it age for several years.
Fresh & festiveRosé / sparkling
Œil-de-Perdrix · Rosés · Mousseux
Unopened bottle
Drink within 1 to 2 years
Once opened
Rosé 2-3 days · sparkling 2-3 days (champagne stopper)
Drink within the year, while it still sparkles and stays lively.
Sweet & indulgentSweet / dessert wine
Flétris · Vendanges tardives · Malvoisie flétrie
Unopened bottle
Long ageing: 10 years and beyond
Once opened
Up to ~1 month in the fridge (the sugar protects it)
A wine to keep: it can wait for years. Once opened, it lasts a long time in the fridge.
Opened bottle: 3 reflexes
Recork immediately
The less air the wine sees, the better it holds. Recork the bottle right after serving, with its original cork.
The fridge, even for red
An open bottle keeps in the cold — the cold slows everything down. Take the red out 20 minutes before serving again.
Fuller = better
A three-quarters-full bottle holds better than a half-empty one. Open according to your evening.
Previous guide: serving your wine well
Or get practical: browse the wines