Leftover wine turned bad? Experts reveal ways to avoid pouring it down the sink

While a fine wine gets better with the age, sadly that’s not the case if you’ve already drunk half the bottle.

Once you’ve opened your favourite tipple, experts recommending polishing it off within 24 hours to avoid compromising taste.

This is because after you’ve consumed half or more, phenols within the wine which affect its flavour react with the air in the bottle and start to dissipate and become negative flavours. 

But rather than pour spoiled wine down the sink, there are a range of creative ways to prevent it going to waste – aside from sloshing it into a stew or bolognaise.

Wine is surprisingly versatile and can be put to use as a cleaning agent, a compost booster and even a makeshift fly trap. Here the experts at Cult Wines share their top tips for using up leftover wine with FEMAIL.  

Grease remover 

If you’ve got a bottle of leftover white that’s realistically passed the point of consumption in any shape or form, it can still be put to good use as a grease stain remover. 

Stir up a mixture of white wine and baking soda and apply to grubby patches on your garage floor, outdoor pathways or patio. 

Let it sit for a few minutes and then wipe away – good as new!

Compost booster 

It turns out that plants like a glass of the good stuff as much as we do – in a different format, of course. 

Pouring red wine into your compost bin activates the good bacteria already present in the mixture, helping your plants and garden to prosper. 

Just be sure to keep your compost bin’s moisture under control once you add the wine. You may need to add a few more dry ingredients, such as cardboard, to compensate for the added moisture.

Fly trap 

Struggling with fruit flies in your kitchen? Pour your leftover red wine into a disposable container, then add a few drops of dish detergent and stir. 

Cover the container with cling film and poke holes in it with a toothpick. Make sure that the holes are big enough for the fruit flies to get in. 

The flies will gravitate to the scent of red wine – and will then be unable to escape. 

Makeshift disinfectant and limescale remover 

Leftover white wine is great for removing limescale and disinfecting surfaces around your household. 

The alcohol combined with the acidity can remove mineral build ups, stains and kill germs on sinks, toilets, shower doors and windows. 

For limescale, spray white wine onto it, leave it for 30 minutes and wipe clean. 

For a makeshift disinfectant, combine equal amounts of wine with water, and then spray onto your surfaces. 

Just be careful to avoid surfaces such as granite, as the acidity in wine can damage the stone. 

Vinegar 

Yes, leftover wine will turn into vinegar if left to its own devices, but the finished result will be far from palatable. 

However, it is possible to make a very enjoyable vinegar from leftover wine by following a simple recipe – a great addition to the condiment cupboard of budding chefs and gastro fans.  

To turn your leftover wine into vinegar, you’ll need to combine it with an existing pure or ‘live’ vinegar, which is unpasteurised and unfiltered.

This means it’s likely to look cloudy with bits floating in it – such as Bragg’s organic raw apple cider vinegar – which indicates it contains an active culture, or ‘mother’, which kickstarts fermentation.

A 2:1 wine to vinegar ratio should work in the beginning. Add to a container and cover with cheesecloth which enables air to circulate while keeping out bugs. Pop in a cool, dark place to ferment for two to three months.

Once it has that tangy, sour taste of vinegar it’s ready to go. Store it in a jar with a lid in a cool dark place.

Fabric dye 

If you’ve ever spilled red wine on fabric, you will know how well it can colour and stain any type of material. 

If you wish to tie-dye an old, faded T-shirt, simply heat your leftover wine in a large pot, add your fabric – rubber-banded in a spiral – for 10 minutes and then allow it to cool. Rinse the fabric well and you’ll have a perfect pale pink tie-dye shirt. 

Freeze it 

Pour your leftovers into an ice cube tray and once frozen, transfer them to a freezer bag or container – they’ll be ready to go whenever needed.

This is ideal for recipes that call for a small volumes of wine. This way, you won’t need to open a whole bottle just to cook (unless you want to, of course).

You could even add the ice cubes to white wine for quick cooling without the dilution of regular ice. 

Red wine jam 

Want to upgrade your lockdown mornings? Try making your own red wine jam to spread across your toast! 

Simply bring to boil 350ml red wine, 200g jam sugar, one star anise and a pinch of all spice until syrupy, then strain into a jar. This mixture should last in your fridge for up to four weeks. 

For more information about Cult Wines, visit https://www.wineinvestment.com/