Quick Answer: Sherry.wine, the regulatory council's site, says an opened fino or manzanilla keeps up to a week, other sherries up to 2 months and VOS or VORS up to 3 months, all tightly corked in the fridge. For port, Kendall-Jackson says vintage port should be drunk within 2 to 3 days, while Taylor's says its very old cask-aged VVOP is at its best for two months after opening. Port styles differ, so check yours.
Does port wine go bad? It can. Kendall-Jackson calls fortified wines some of the most age-worthy wines, but the gap between styles is large: days for some, months for others. This post covers opened sherry, opened port, and what to do with a bottle that sits on the back bar. Table wine is in the general guide to how long wine lasts after opening, and closing a bottle is in the bottle sealers guide.
How long does sherry last after opening?
It depends on the type. The Sherry regulatory council (checked October 2026) gives these maximums, on the condition that the bottle was stored without major temperature swings. The page prints "hasta", Spanish for "up to", inside its English table.
| Sherry | Closed bottle | Open bottle, tightly corked in the fridge |
|---|---|---|
| Fino and Manzanilla | Up to a year | Up to a week |
| Other sherries, including Oloroso and Pedro Ximénez | Up to 3 years | Up to 2 months |
| VOS and VORS | Not fixed | 3 months |
The page says finos and manzanillas are the most delicate because, once bottled, they lose the film of yeast that protected them from oxidation in the cask. Sherries aged in contact with air, such as olorosos, have very high stability. It adds that opening a bottle accelerates the wine's development, even though a sherry does not have to be finished in one go.
Does port wine go bad after opening?
Yes, but the window depends on the style, and the sources checked differ. Kendall-Jackson says bottle-aged ports, such as vintage port, should be consumed within 2 to 3 days of opening. Taylor's (checked October 2026) says that its VVOP, a very old, cask-aged release, can be enjoyed over an extended period once opened, and that the optimum drinking time after opening is two months.
| Wine | Opened | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Bottle-aged port, such as vintage port | Drink within 2 to 3 days | Kendall-Jackson |
| Taylor's VVOP, a very old cask-aged port | Optimum drinking time is two months | Taylor's |
| Fortified and sweet wines in general | 2 days to years, depending on the wine | Kendall-Jackson |
The Taylor's figure is for one product and is not a rule for port. Neither page gives a figure for tawny or ruby port as a style, so this post does not split them, and no source checked gives an unopened figure for port.
Why do fortified wines keep longer than table wine?
Alcohol and how they were aged. Kendall-Jackson says the high alcohol of fortified wines gives them the backbone to resist oxidation and age slowly, and that the exceptions are bottle-aged ports and fresh sherries such as fino and manzanilla. That matches the sherry table above, where the fresh styles have the shortest figure.
How should you store port and sherry once opened?
Cork in, upright, dark and steady. The sherry council says to keep bottles in a quiet, dark place without temperature changes or vibration, upright so less wine is exposed to air, and once open to keep the cork firmly in place, with fino and manzanilla always in the fridge. Taylor's says its VVOP should be kept upright, protected from light and at a cool, constant temperature. Closures and stoppers for wine are in the bottle sealers guide.
When are these figures wrong?
When the bottle is a different style or producer. The sherry figures are the council's general guideline for each family. The port figures come from a winery's view of vintage port and one producer's single release. A back-bar bottle that has been opened, poured from and left warm will not match any of them. Kendall-Jackson's checks for any open wine are color, a smell like vinegar and then one small sip. Esatto does not sell wine stoppers or storage. Its pourers are for bar bottles, in the Pour & Seal collection and Other Esatto Pourers.
Frequently asked questions
Does port wine go bad?
Opened, yes. Kendall-Jackson says vintage port should be drunk within 2 to 3 days, while Taylor's says its very old cask-aged VVOP is at its best for two months. Check the producer for your own style.
How long does port wine last once opened?
It depends on the style. Kendall-Jackson gives 2 to 3 days for bottle-aged ports such as vintage port. Taylor's gives two months for its VVOP. Fortified wines in general range from 2 days to years, according to Kendall-Jackson.
How long does port wine last after opening?
The sources checked give two figures for two styles: 2 to 3 days for vintage port and two months for one Taylor's cask-aged release. Neither is a general rule for port.
How long does sherry last after opening?
Up to a week for fino and manzanilla, up to 2 months for other sherries and 3 months for VOS and VORS, according to the sherry regulatory council. All tightly corked in the fridge.
How long does port wine last unopened?
No source checked gives an unopened figure for port. Taylor's says its VVOP is ready to drink and should be stored upright, away from light, at a cool and constant temperature.
Does port wine go bad after opening if it is left on the counter?
The sources checked give no counter figure for port. The sherry council's figures assume the fridge for sherry, and Taylor's asks for a cool, constant temperature. For any other style, follow its producer's advice.
Does sherry need to be refrigerated after opening?
Fino and manzanilla always do, according to the sherry council. For other sherries it says to keep the cork firmly in place, and its other-sherry figure of up to 2 months is for a tightly corked bottle in the fridge.