Here at Toast we love a glass of wine as much as the next person, but drinking responsibly can often mean leaving wine in the bottle – and it’s a crying shame to see a good drop go bad. Here are three genius ways to preserve, revive and re-use opened wine.

Hack #1 – Store it right

Once a wine is opened, it is exposed to the air and the oxygen begins to affect the quality and flavour. The older the wine is, the faster it will collapse under the pressure of oxidisation – so best drink that fine claret with friends. A younger wine, however, can hold up against the air for a few days if stored correctly.

First, if it is a cork-sealed bottle, make sure you put the cork back stained side first.

Secondly, the best place for it is the fridge – even red – as this will slow the oxidisation process.

Finally, don’t store opened wine on its side. Keeping it vertical reduces the surface area exposed to the air in the bottle. 

Hack #2 – make a cocktail

For a bottle of white that has seen a couple of days of air, you could revive it by making a simple cocktail. Here’s what you need:

White wine

Sparkling water

Fruit juice

Mix equal parts of each, adding the sparkling water last, for a delicious Bellini-style drink.

Hack #3 – Make a dessert

We all know that a drizzle of wine a few days old works fine added to a pasta sauce or risotto dish, but what if you’ve got a bit more? You can make a fabulous dessert, that’s what! Here’s what you need:

½ bottle of wine (rosé or white work best)

4 tablespoons sugar syrup 

Mix it together and then freeze it in a tumbler. Serve with a slice of lemon or a berry coulis for a real treat.