Why does wine often taste better the next day (or after)

I notice that many wines seem to taste better to me after a day or more of sitting on the counter or in the refrigerator. In all cases the wine had maybe a glass or two poured the first day and was then re-corked and put aside. Is it the same issue as decanting/exposing to air, and is this telling me that the wines would have been better the first day with a decant? Or is something else going on here? My two most recent examples of this are an 2018 Assyrtiko and a 2016 Oregon Pinot Noir. Both improved significantly in terms of flavor complexity and balance on day two and even day 3 with the PN.

I’ve definitely always chalked this up to exposure to air and an opening up of a (well-made) wine.Same reason why you should decant or at least swirl around. Curious if others have a more scientific answer.

Not everyone thinks they do improve. I can count on my fingers over 20+ years the number of times I’ve had a red wine taste better on day 2 or after - some aspects may improve, but a stale element appears that is too much of a detractor for me. White wines, especially with some residual sugar, do sometimes seem more appealing after a day or more open, but no where as often in my experience as it seems to be in others’.

Many blind tests have shown that people DON’T, in fact, prefer wines that have been opened for a while over pop n’pour. I’m not saying I think decanting never improves a wine - I often think it does - but I think there might be a psychological element of what we’re supposed to think going on. So I wonder if “something else (is) going on here,” in a different sense.

This was discussed in another thread and I agree with Sarah. I struggle to think of examples where I’ve preferred a wine on day two. I enjoy the freshness of young wines, and older wines struggle with too much air. For me, day-old wine almost always has a hint of something off.

I am a fan of decanting, but I will admit that I haven’t subjected my decanting practices to blind validation.

For me the day 2 phenomenon applies to young, red wines, some RhĂ´ne whites, but definitely not reds with some years on them or RosĂŠ.

Michael, I think you have clarified my issue. Thanks. “Reds with some years on them” (or even whites) are not in my usual ballpark, as reflected in my two recent examples of this “better the next day” phenomenon. So does my experience with these youngish wines suggest that I maybe should aerate/decant them a bit on day one for more enjoyment?
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It certainly appears that air has made those two wines more enjoyable for you. As others have stated, at the end of the day it’s a matter of personal preference.

If you enjoyed those wines on day two and three, I’d suggest decanting them in a wide decanter with a lot of surface area to aerate them well on day one and see if the results are similar to what you enjoyed on day two. As always, it’s all about figuring out how you enjoy drinking wine, if you enjoy drinking a wine three days laters (and are okay with preparing for it well in advance) then do that. [cheers.gif]

With young wines, my wife and I will often open a bottle, pour off a glass. If good, we continue, if not, we recork, put it in the frig and revisit on day 2. 80%-90% of the time it approves, but not always.

Excellent idea!!!

+1.

I think a lot of this is palate related. I agree with Sarah that a certain staleness arrives by the next day.

I think I have a wine exemplar that might correlate: I have found that people who like Scholium Project wines tend toward the camp of liking wine after a day, or two, and people who don’t like Scholium more often land in the ‘better the same day’ camp.

This is not a scientific claim, just chatting about this interesting type of palate variation! [cheers.gif]

That Scholium reference was a ‘whoosh’ for me, Anton, but I agree that it could just be a palate variation issue. Winemakers are probably not making their wines to open on one day and drink on the next day for optimum enjoyment.
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I experience this all the time. Many many wines are better after time in the fridge.

I wish it was imagined because then it could happen for all my wines. But sadly it only works for the young ones of good quality.

That statement was a “bingo” moment for me I think! Thanks Joe.

Okay, so this is just one person’s thoughts, take them or leave them.

Giving a wine lots of air doesn’t really approximate aging.

The only reason to open a wine that’s “too young,” is to learn about what that wine tastes like young. This exercise can be very interesting. I am in favor of experimenting like this, and I have learned a lot by doing so.

Taking a wine that’s too young and giving it hours and hours in the decanter, or holding until day 2 or 3 teaches you nothing about that wine when it’s young. It also teaches you nothing about that wine when it’s aged. It shows you a Frankenstein of semi developed qualities and stale elements. That’s not something I personally have much interest in, even if it means I drink I wine that has a slightly higher pleasure quotient.

So, from my perspective, drink wines young that were made to be drunk young. Age wines that were meant to age. Drink young wines to learn about young wine. But don’t try to change one thing into another.

Of course, if you only have a dozen or so wines and all of them are really young, I can see where you might try and extend that experience as far as the collection can stretch. But in general, my advice is to try and learn from what things are, rather than try and guess what they might someday be.

Sound advice. Thank you.

These are like comments from an alternate universe. I am reminded of the scientists from the 1950s who thought that animals couldn’t feel pain.

The reason for drinking wine that was opened some days ago is because I wasn’t that thirsty on the night that I opened it.

If it tastes better, which it often does, then I am happy. If it doesn’t taste good, I pour it down the drain.

This happens a lot, both ways. It is an experience observed and reported by many.

Some people don’t even use the fridge; they just leave it on the counter.

Just between the two of us, Joe, I do both. [pillow-fight.gif]

I find this true with more bold reds, like hermitage, Rhone, sometimes Napa cabs that time helps them to open up more. Not so much with more delicate wines like Espeite de Tablas Blanc, a rhone blend. The complexity and crispness I had were a bit lost after a day in the fridge.

I would agree with this as a general statement, for wines that some would argue have been opened too young the last glass or other serious aeration can work wonders.

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Yes; and “only” is too strong. I was forgetting about that unreconditioned 1967 Borgogno Barolo that was much improved after a month open in my fridge.