There is a risk of loss of quality: This is what happens when wine freezes

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You don’t need a refrigerator to chill a bottle of wine in the winter. A short period in front of the kitchen window or in the snow is usually sufficient to reach the desired drinking temperature. However, wine being forgotten outside and freezing can happen very quickly.

The freezing point of alcohol is lower than water. This means that wine does not freeze at zero degrees unless it is non-alcoholic. Traditional wine with a twelve percent alcohol content freezes at around minus five degrees. The higher the alcohol content, the quicker good wine will freeze.

Frozen wines lose their quality

When wine is frozen, the liquid expands and can potentially damage the cap. This means that air gets into the wine uncontrollably, causing the wine to age quickly and become inedible within a few days. Such wines with high oxygen contact are called oxidized wines.

If freezing continues for a long time and the lid is damaged, the wine may dry out. The phenomenon, known as freezer burn, causes the flavor profile of affected wines to deteriorate. For unfiltered wines, long-term storage at sub-zero temperatures means that the smallest particles in the wine become more visible and clearly noticeable on the tongue.

If you want to be on the safe side when chilling white or sparkling wine, wrap the bottle in a damp cotton cloth and place it in the freezer compartment of your refrigerator. After about 15 minutes the wine has already reached the perfect drinking temperature. If you set an alarm clock, almost nothing will go wrong when it gets cold.

Source : Blick