How Long Does Wine Last? Rachael & John Weigh In

Rachael's husband and live-in bartender, John Cusimano, answers a viewer who asks how long alcohol keeps, and if you should throw old bottles away.

Q: How long does alcohol keep? We have bottles that we've had for years and years. Should we throw them away?
— Viewer

A: "Don't throw it away," John says. (As long as it's unopened!)

How long do spirits last?

"If it's a high alcohol content spirit, like vodka or whiskey, that will literally keep for decades," John says. "The flavor is not going to change. Once it's in the bottle it's going to pretty much taste the same."

How long does wine last?

"Wine ages. Wine matures as it gets older, but it's different for every wine. There are certain red wines where you have to know when they peak. It's a living being."

Open wine is a different story. "If you have a bottle of wine and it's open, that's not going to last very long," John says.

"We put it in the fridge and you can cook with it for a few days," Rachael adds, "but on the counter, one night and that's it."

Vermouth and sherry — which are fortified wines — last a little longer than wine, according to John. But once opened, these and any other wine-based products should still be kept in the fridge.

Please always drink responsibly.