How long does sherry keep after opening?

According to the Consejo Regulador, fino and manzanilla keep for up to 1 week, provided the bottle is corked and in the fridge.

These two styles age biologically, under a layer of yeast called flor. As long as the flor covers the wine, it keeps the air out. Once opened, that shield is gone.

Serve them cold: the Consejo Regulador gives 5 to 7 degrees. A half-empty bottle in the fridge deteriorates faster than a full one.

According to the Consejo Regulador, amontillado, oloroso, palo cortado and the sweet styles keep for up to 2 months, corked in the fridge.

These wines are oxidatively aged and were already exposed to oxygen during maturation. A little air in the bottle therefore matters less.

The Consejo Regulador gives a serving temperature of 12 to 14 degrees for oxidatively aged sherry, and 7 to 9 degrees for pale cream.

According to the Consejo Regulador, VOS and VORS sherries keep for up to 3 months once opened.

VOS and VORS are designations for very old wines from the sherry region. The Consejo Regulador recommends serving them at about 15 degrees.

Here too: close it well and store it somewhere cool. A bottle left at room temperature changes faster than one in the fridge.

A fino left open too long loses its freshness; the nose becomes duller and the palate flatter.

With oxidatively aged styles such as oloroso and amontillado, this happens much more slowly. Those wines were already used to oxygen before the bottle was opened.

A sherry that has turned is better no longer served as an aperitif. In the kitchen it can often still be used, for example in a sauce.

Close the bottle tightly and stand it upright in the fridge; the Consejo Regulador names the fridge as the place to keep every style after opening.

Standing upright keeps the wine's surface area small. The less wine is left, the more air can get to it.

A half bottle helps if you do not finish a bottle quickly, especially with fino and manzanilla and their short keeping time of 1 week.