The ideal rule of thumb is to finish a bottle of red wine the same night it is opened. The general rule of another thumb is to finish the bottle within a couple days of opening. I am not much of a drinker, so more often than not I’ll find myself with a bottle of wine that just can’t be finish before it starts to go bad. Most times I’ll then use it to cook, as it is perfect for adding a little punch of flavor to a dish.
Another way to utilize leftover red wine is to make your own vinegar. It’s simple: just leave it out, forget about it, and… voilà! If you use a good wine to begin with, the resulting vinegar will be better than any store-bought version you’ll find on the supermarket shelf!
You will need
– red wine
– glass container (jar or drinking glass)
– cheesecloth
– rubberband
– glass bottle, with air-tight cap
1. Pour the red wine into the glass jar, then cover the opening with a double layer of cheesecloth, and secure with the rubberband.
2. Leave the jar out at room temperature in a cool, shaded spot. Leave it out for 2 – 3 weeks.
3. After wine turns to vinegar, transfer to the glass bottle.
4. Wasn’t that easy? Now go cook!
