Does Wine Freeze? (How Long It Takes, Why Avoid It, Frozen Wine Ideas)

Have you ever tried to chill a wine bottle quickly and forgot it for too long in the freezer? 

In instances like this, you may have frantically wondered if this will affect the bottle in some way and if you can still drink it. 

We’re here to help you find out if frozen wine is safe to drink, why you should not freeze wine, and what to do if you have frozen wine on your hands. You’ll also find out a few tips to properly chill a wine bottle in a pinch.

Does Wine Freeze?

Yes, wine does freeze, but often, not completely. 

This is due to its alcohol content (we’ll get into this in a minute.) 

Accidents happen, but the pros recommend not letting wine freeze on purpose unless you plan to use it as a cooking wine, for example. 

You can freeze red and white wine. Thanks to the other ingredients present, you can also freeze wine-based cocktails like mulled wine without affecting the flavor too much.

Is It Safe To Drink Frozen Wine?

Drinking frozen wine is perfectly safe. However, the flavor and aroma notes will be compromised. 

So, if you have an expensive vintage, take the time to chill it properly. This way, you can appreciate the wine’s taste and all its nuances.

How Long Does Wine Take To Freeze?

If you have a standard kitchen freezer (usually set to 0 ° F), it can take about 5 hours for wine to freeze. 

First the water molecules freeze, followed by the alcohol molecules. Any unfrozen alcohol molecules just become more alcoholic, and the wine takes on a slushy consistency.

How long wine takes to freeze and at what temperature depends on the wine’s alcohol content. If there is more alcohol, the freezing point is lower. 

The average wine alcohol content is 12.5% and the freezing temperature, in this case, is approximately 22.5 ° F. 

To help you figure out what your wine’s freezing point is based on the ABV, refer to the table below:

4 Reasons You Should Not Freeze Wine

You can defrost frozen wine and safely consume it. But, consider the following factors before freezing wine purposely:

1. Wine Expands When It Freezes

Typically a bottle of still wine can survive a trip to the freezer with few to no incidents. But since wine expands when it freezes, it can:

• Leak out from under the cork
• Push the cork out
• Break the bottle

However, if you have a sparkling wine or Champagne bottle at hand, avoid freezing it. Due to the high atmospheric pressure, the frozen bottle might explode, especially if you try to open it right away. 

So, if you’ve forgotten your sparkling wine bottle in the freezer, make sure to defrost it in an isolated area in the house, so no one gets hurt if the cork suddenly bursts out. Once it has defrosted, you can attempt to open the sparkling wine bottle.

2. Frozen Wine Can Turn Into Vinegar

If the screw cap or cork pops out in the freezer, air will rush in and oxidize the wine. After some time, the opened wine will take on a vinegar-like taste. 

3. Freezer Burn Can Happen

Once oxidation begins, watch out for freezer burn. Freezer burn occurs when the opened wine has been exposed to freezing air for so long that the water content is reduced. This will make the wine tasteless and vinegary.

4. A Wine’s Flavor Will Be Lost

When you store a bottle in the freezer, the wine’s organic chemical compounds start to crystalize. This process makes the wine taste flat, bitter, and devoid of the intended flavor notes.

3 Alternative Ways To Chill Wine

Popping a bottle of wine into the freezer for a few hours may seem like a quick and easy way to chill it. But, it’s not your only option. There are faster (and safer) ways to do it.

The next time you’re in a pinch, try one of these solutions:

1. The Salty Ice Bucket

Grab an ice bucket, put your wine bottle in, and fill it to the neck with water, ice, and a good amount of salt. The salt reduces the melting point of the ice.

If you add about 30g of salt to one liter of ice and water, the freezing point drops by one degree. 

2. The Frozen Grapes

An excellent alternative to putting ice cubes in your wine glass is to add frozen grapes. 

Unlike ice cubes, a few frozen grapes will only chill the wine and not dilute it.

3. The Paper Towel

Get a few sheets of paper towel (or a dish towel), soak them in water, and wrap them around the bottle. Freeze the bottle for about 15-20 minutes. If you’re likely to forget, just set a timer on your phone. 

What To Do With Frozen Wine

If you’re wondering what to do with your frozen wine, try these suggestions:

1. Make Sangria or Peach Wine Cooler

Making a batch of sangria is a great way to ensure your frozen red wine doesn’t go to waste. If you have a frozen white wine bottle, you can make a refreshing peach wine cooler.

For the Sangria:

Here’s what you need:

• 1 bottle of red wine (try a Cabernet Sauvignon or Pinot Noir wine)
• ⅓ cup brandy or whiskey
• 1 cup orange juice
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• Orange and apple slices (garnish)

Directions:

Combine all the ingredients in a large jug, chill, and serve!

For the Peach Wine Cooler:

Here’s what you need: 

• 1 bottle of white wine (try a Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc wine)
• ½ cup brandy or whiskey
• 1 ½ cups sparkling water
• 2 cups frozen peach slices
• ⅓ cup honey
• Ice cubes
• ½ a lemon fruit, thinly sliced (garnish)

Directions:

1. In a large jug, combine all the ingredients, except for the sparkling water and ice, and chill it for a few hours.
2. Before serving, stir in the sparkling water and ice cubes.

2. Cook With Frozen Wine

Your frozen wine bottle may not be as enjoyable to drink anymore, but it can work as a cooking wine. 

When the wine is cooked along with other ingredients at a high temperature, the effects of oxidation and freezer burn won’t affect the dish.

Here’s what you do: 

1. Thaw the wine and pour it into an ice cube tray. Place it in the freezer for a few hours.
2. When you’re ready to cook, just pop one or two cubes in the pan. 

You can also make wine ice cubes out of leftover wine, so you don’t waste a drop!

3. Whip Up Wine Slushies

A fun way to make use of frozen wine is to make wine slushies. 

Here’s what you need:

• 1 bottle of wine (try a fortified wine or an ice wine)
• Fruit (like strawberries, blackberries, or blueberries)
• Blender
• Freezer-safe container
• Glassware

Directions:

1. Defrost and pour the wine into the freezer-safe container. Freeze it for about 5 hours.
2. In the blender, add the fruit and frozen wine, and blitz. 
3. Scoop the mixture into your glasses and add spoons.

4. DIY Vinegar

You can make a lovely red or white wine vinegar from frozen wine. It’s a great condiment to have in your pantry. 

To make it, you need a vinegar mother — a biofilm made of cellulose and acetic acid bacteria. It develops on alcoholic drinks that are fermenting. With the help of oxygen, a vinegar mother also turns the alcohol into acetic acid.

You can make your own vinegar mother or purchase one. However, the pros recommend an even simpler fix:

1. Purchase vinegar that has bits of vinegar mother already in it. 
2. In a jar, mix 3 parts of wine (red or white wine) and one part of vinegar.
3. Store in a cool, dark place for one month.

Chill and Refill, Stress-Free

You can let wine freeze and safely drink it, but it’s the quickest way to ruin its taste. Instead, opt for other methods of chilling wine so you can enjoy your drink stress-free.

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