Whether you’ve left a bottle of wine in the freezer too long or you’re wondering if you can make wine slushies, you might find yourself asking at what temperature does wine freeze, or does it freeze at all, since it contains alcohol.
Well, the answer is yes, wine can freeze. The temperature at which it freezes depends on the alcohol content and will vary slightly depending on its ABV, but most table wines will become icy at about 22°F or -5.6°C.
» You might like What Temperature Should Red Wine Be Stored At? and the Best White Wine Storage Temperature.
If you leave a bottle of wine in the freezer for too long – maybe you wanted to quickly chill it down and forgot about it – it can freeze, which will make it susceptible to exploding. Even though a wine bottle is quite thick, it can become vulnerable when the wine expands due to freezing.
I’ve personally come home to a ruptured bottle of wine in the freezer. It can happen! But with the proper precautions, you can purposefully freeze wine to make a wine slushie. We’ll give a proper recipe for Frose below.
If you’re attempting to chill a bottle of wine by placing it temporarily in the freezer, you should set a timer for no longer than 1 hour, at which point your white wine will be at an appropriate serving temperature.
Leaving a bottle in the freezer any longer will likely result in frozen wine and a really sticky freezer.
Proper Wine Storage Temperatures
The best way to store alcohol is by placing it in a cool, dry place, or by refrigerating it at proper storage temperatures in a wine fridge. When it comes to wine, storing it at a proper temperature is one of the most important aspects of keeping it at its best.
Light, fruity reds: Serve slightly chilled, around 54 – 56°F (12 – 13°C)
Medium-bodied reds: Serve around 56 – 60°F (14 – 16°C)
Full-bodied reds: Serve between 61 – 65°F (16 – 18°C)
Just because these are the proper serving temperatures for serving wine doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy wine at whatever temperature you like best, or even freeze wine. Chilled wine can be very good.
On the other hand, freezing wine also has a negative affect on it. When wine is exposed to very low temperatures, the acid converts to insoluble tartar crystals that alter the drink’s flavor. It can end up being very unpleasant.
Can You Freeze Wine?
The first question is whether you can freeze wine or not? Well, the answer is yes. You can freeze wine. But it’s not as simple as it sounds. Several factors are involved.
Most people don’t prefer freezing wine as it can change its flavor. However, if you still want to give it a try, you can freeze it. But its freezing temperature and time will depend greatly on the alcohol content.
As we have mentioned before, the ideal temperature to freeze wine depends heavily on its amount of alcohol. The rule is simple, and the more alcohol, the lower the freezing temperature will be.
For instance, if you consider the standard alcohol content in wine is around 12 to 15%, then the ideal temperature to freeze the wine will be around 20 °F. This is the temperature at which the wine will solidify.
How to Freeze Wine
If you’re purposefully freezing wine, the best way is to transfer it to another vessel, where it has room to expand. In the bottle, it has no room to freeze, so it will very likely break the bottle.
Instead, people often transfer the wine to an ice tray or to a baking dish, before putting it in the freezer to solidify.
Things to Keep in Mind When Freezing Wine
If we’ve made you curious and want to do a test run on freezing some wine, here are a few things you should keep in mind:
- Freezing wine doesn’t always mean it will become a great chilled beverage. Sometimes it means it’ll become a ruined beverage as well. Especially when you are freezing red wine. Freezing it can change the original flavor of the wine, which might not be as pleasant as you think.
- Don’t expect the frozen wine to turn back to liquid in just five minutes. It will take at least 3 hours to return to liquid, which is quite a long time if you’re hoping to drink the wine.
- Freezing wine in a glass bottle can be hazardous. That’s because of simple science. Since wine is a liquid, it will expand when it solidifies. Moreover, there will be immense pressure in the bottle, which glass can tolerate to a certain extend. As a result, there are high chances that the bottle can break. Thus, it’s better to transfer wine to another container that can withstand the expansion before freezing it.
How to Make Frose – Frozen Wine
You’ve likely heard about the Frose – a delicious summer drink that’s made with frozen Rose wine, strawberries, and sugar. This drink isn’t made by just freezing a bottle of Rose. The addition of the strawberries and sugar melt to turn it into a sweet enough concoction to want to drink that isn’t frozen into a solid block.
Ingredients
- 1 bottle Rose wine
- 8 large strawberries
- 1 tablespoon honey or agave syrup
Blend the rose, strawberries and honey together in a blender until smooth. Pour it into a baking dish or container that has room for expansion. Place the dish in the freezer for at least 6 hours or overnight. When ready to serve, transfer the slushie back to the blender and pulse. Then serve.
Conclusion
The question is not only about the temperature at which the wine freezer. Instead, it is whether you should freeze it or not? Honestly, it is a personal choice. But given that the flavor and quality of the wine can change, one should think before putting the bottle in the freezer.
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Laura is the founder and editor of the travel blogs Savored Sips and Savored Journeys. She is dedicated to sharing the best information about drinks found around the world.