Read This Before You Throw Out Leftover Wine

Honestly, why do you even have leftover wine?

If this happens to you, use these 20 tips to help you use it up instead of tossing it down the drain. Poured-out wine is poured-out money (and happiness).

How long does wine last? Let me tell you!

• Sparkling: 1-3 days
• Light White and Rosé: 5-7 days
• Full-Bodied White: 3-5 days
• Red: 3-5 days
• Boxed: 28 days

 

1. Make wine ice for sangria.

No one likes watered-down sangria. Wine ice cubes will only add to the flavor as they melt.

Use silicone trays to pop them out more easily.

 

2. Grow a better garden.

Pour your wine into your compost and it will help break the waste down faster. Spread it on your garden and watch your veggies grow faster.

 

3. Make homemade vinaigrette for a better salad.

Use red or white wine and a vinegar starter for a tasty salad dressing. Trust me, this tastes way better than store-bought vinaigrette!

Learn more here.

 

4. Use leftover port to make lollipops.

You can technically use any kind of wine, but port yields the best results.

Bring 1/3 cup of wine to a boil with 3/4 cup sugar and 3 tbsp. corn syrup. Let it hit 300 degrees on the stove and then freeze it in silicone molds. Voila! A boozy afternoon treat.

 

5. Leave a glass on your counter overnight to get rid of fruit flies.

They’ll dive right into a half-full glass and you’ll have fewer pests in the house. You can cover with plastic wrap and poke some holes in it to make sure no one gets out alive.

RELATED: 19 Things You Can Do with Beer (Besides Drink It)

 

 

6. Pour it over your ice cream.

Mix your leftover wine with sugar and reduce it to a syrup for a decadent addition to your dessert.

Just combine 3 cups wine to 1 cup sugar and bring to a boil. Simmer until it reaches the consistency you like!

 

7. Mix it with sugar and coconut oil for a body scrub.

To make this fantastic DIY gift, combine 1 ¼ cup turbinado sugar, ¼ cup red wine, and 1 tbsp. each of honey and melted coconut oil.

Easy peasy, right? Put it in a pretty jar and you’re good to go. Here’s the full recipe.

 

8. Get your bake on.

I’ve made cookies, cake, and brownies to name a few. It’s an excellent excuse not to share with the kids.

 

RELATED: 10 Wine Cork Hacks That Will Blow Your Mind

 

9. Soak it up with some berries.

If you know you aren’t going to finish a bottle, soak some berries in it overnight. Now you have a topping to that dessert you made!

This works with any type of wine!

 

10. Make a killer pasta sauce.

Add red to your tomato sauces and white to your cream sauces.

Just remember that it takes at least three hours for the alcohol to cook off, so if you don’t have that kind of time, keep it for adults only.

 

11. Keep cool in the summer with red wine popsicles.

For the perfect grown-up treat, puree some strawberries with red wine and freeze them up in popsicle molds.

Dip the finished product in chocolate and thank me later.

 

 

12. Or make a milkshake.

Just blend your favorite wine with ice cream and enjoy your frozen adult beverage.

 

13. Make wine salt to season your favorite grilled dinners.

This is crazy easy to make and lasts up to six months!

Combine 2 cups of wine with 1 cup of salt and 1 tsp. each of lemon zest and chopped thyme.

Dry slowly in an oven set at 175 for 1-2 hours. Check frequently, because it can burn easily!

 

14. Add it to soup or chili for a richer flavor.

Use red for chili and stews to get a bold, hearty taste, and white to enhance the flavor of a cream-based soup.

 

15. Flat champagne makes the best eggs.

Scramble your eggs with a little flat champagne instead of milk before you cook them, and you will have a seriously light and fluffy breakfast.

 

16. Add leftover white to a spray bottle for a fruit and veggie wash.

The alcohol in the wine will kill the bacteria on your produce. (Make sure you rinse it after, though!)

 

 

17. Make a delicious jelly.

You can use gelatin and wine to make jelly. The flavor possibilities are endless. Plus it makes a great Christmas gift!

 

RELATED: 18 Easy Homemade Gifts Under $10

 

18. Make the BEST gummies with leftover rose.

You can use any wine, but rosé is the favorite for a reason.

 

19. Use mulled wine to make jelly candies.

These would make a fantastic addition to your holiday potluck.

 

20. Save your white wine for when you spill your red.

Dab a little white wine on a fresh red wine stain, and you’ll have a better shot of getting it out.

It won’t work the other way around though, so be careful!

 

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