How Long Does Sherry Last? (Does It Go Bad & How To Store It)

How long does Sherry last?

Typically, an unopened bottle of Sherry can last from 1 to 5 years, while an opened bottle of this fortified wine can last from a few days up to a year.

However, the shelf life of this southern Spain wine depends hugely on the wine style. This means a cream Sherry may not last as long as a dry cooking Sherry once opened.

Let’s look at how long opened and unopened Sherry lasts, how to store them, and some quick tips to know if your Sherry has gone bad.

How Long Does Sherry Last?

Like Port wine and Marsala wine, Sherry is a fortified wine with high alcohol content. That’s why it can last longer than other wine styles. 

Here’s a helpful guide to determine how long Sherry wine lasts:

1. An Unopened Sherry Bottle

An unopened Sherry can last for a long time if stored correctly, but it varies depending on the style.  

• Manzanilla Sherry: A sealed bottle of Manzanilla lasts around a year. Pale cream Sherry, made from Manzanilla (or Fino), will last 2-3 years.
• Fino Sherry: An unopened bottle of Fino dry Sherry can last for 2-3 years.
• Amontillado Sherry: An unopened Amontillado lasts around three years.
• Palo Cortado Sherry: An unopened bottle ofPalo Cortado Sherry will last about three years.
• Oloroso Sherry: Olorosocan last for 5+ years in a sealed bottle. Sometimes Oloroso is blended with dry and sweet Sherry to produce a creamy wine like Harveys Bristol Cream Sherry, which stays fresh for one year.
• Pedro Ximenez Sherry: Usually, a bottle of unopened Pedro Ximenez dessert wine should be consumed within 2-3 years. However, you can also find an exceptional 50 year old wine like the 1973 Bodegas Toro Albala.
• Cooking Sherry: Sherry cooking wine can be stored indefinitely if unopened.

2. Opened Sherry Bottles

Once opened, a Sherry begins to lose flavor.

• Manzanilla Sherry: Since Manzanilla is aged biologically under a layer of flor, which makes it unstable after being opened. So, consume an opened bottle within 1-2 days.
• Fino Sherry: You should drink an opened bottle of Fino within a day or two.
• Amontillado Sherry: An Amontillado can last around 1-2 months once opened.
• Palo Cortado Sherry: An opened bottle of Palo Cortado will last around 2-3 months.
• Oloroso Sherry: An Oloroso Sherry can last around 3 months once opened.
• Pedro Ximenez Sherry: An opened bottle of Pedro Ximenez sweet wine is best consumed within 2-3 months.
• Cooking Sherry: An opened bottle of cooking Sherry can last from a few months up to a year.

The key to making your unopened and opened Sherry last is to store it properly. 

How To Store Sherry

Here are the best Sherry storage tips.

1. Unopened Sherry Bottle

Storing Sherry is a bit different from storing regular red wine or white wine. To make your Sherry last, place your wine bottle upright to reduce the wine-oxygen contact.

Keep the bottle in a cool, dry area with minimal light like a wine cellar, but if you don’t have one, your pantry will help a Sherry last just fine.

2. Opened Sherry Bottles

The best place to make opened Sherry last is the fridge. Reinsert the original cork as tightly as possible and put the bottle in the refrigerator.

Alternatively, you can use a wine stopper if you don’t have the cork. Also, if you plan to consume your Sherry soon, pour the wine into a decanter to prevent oxidation.

Interestingly, you can also pour your Sherry into ice trays and freeze it to use as cooking wine at a later date.

How To Tell If Sherry Has Gone Bad

Here are some tips to tell if your Sherry has gone bad:

• Smell: If you smell Sherry vinegar, your wine has gone bad, and it’s best to get rid of the bottle. However, if an old Sherry has a pleasant but subdued odor, the wine must have lost some flavor but can still be used as cooking Sherry. 
• Cork: Sometimes, corks dry up and crumble into the wine bottle and leave black specks floating on top of the wine. A dry cork also allows the oxygen to enter the bottle, causing oxidation, which gives your Sherry a flat or vinegary flavor.
• Sediment: Look out for excess sediment at the bottom of your bottle. Sediment is generally innocuous, and a small deposit is natural. But, a thick, caked layer in the bottle means the wine has probably oxidized and won’t taste good. 
• Taste: The most sure-fire way to tell if a Sherry has gone bad is taste. If you detect a flat or vinegar flavor, you should probably avoid drinking the wine. However, if it has a subtle flavor, you can still use it as a cooking Sherry.

Sherry: A Delicious Wine For Every Occasion!

The best way to make your Sherry last and maximize flavor is to store it in your wine cellar. Alternatively, a wine rack in your pantry is a close second.

However, if you’re looking for a fine wine bottle for long-term cellaring, there’s a whole new world to explore.

A trusted wine investment company like Vinovest will help you buy, store, and sell rare and authentic wines from around the world within a few clicks.