Frozen Wine

[Karen_Troisi]

I’ve used this photo before - it is from the earthquake. At our Napa home, we have a built-in refrigerator (top/bottom) and were storing a few unopened bottles in the top (as we had run out of space in the LeCache). When the quake hit, both the top and bottom of the refrigerator opened - wines fell into the bottom and then both doors closed. We didn’t know they were there as a neighbor checked our property for damage. On our next trip west, I opened the freezer to a mess. BTW we defrosted them and drank them - and they were all pretty good.

[J_a_y_H_a_c_k]

I needed to quick chill a bottle of Alessia Chardonnay for a party, threw it into the freezer, and forgot it for a few days. The cork was pushed all the way out. I took the bottle out, put it on the counter until it thawed enough to get the cork back in, then I put it in the refrigerator. A week later I opened it and it was quite good.

[jcoley3]

A little may have frozen on those bottles, but not very much. A typical Bourgogne will start to freeze around 22F, but not much will freeze. At 0F, I think roughly a third of the liquid will freeze although it takes a while. That would undoubtedly push corks on bottles with normal ullage.

Wine isn’t like water, the ethanol and water form what’s called a non-ideal mixture and the composition of the liquid continuously changes as part of it freezes. The alcohol percentage in the unfrozen liquid rises as it partially freezes, further lowering the freezing temperature. I think it freezes solid at something like -180F although it will be nearly solid at somewhat warmer temperature.

-Al

Ah. I guess that explains why higher alcohol wines tend to remain a slushy liquid while more moderate wines freeze solid.

[John_Glas]

I had some wines freeze solid when my wife and I got married. Let them thaw and they were still outstanding. AS we all know heat damages wine but I don’t think cold is as bad.

[Al_Osterheld]

I’ve been meaning to run some tests, but haven’t gotten around to it (although I’ve run some accidental tests in the past). But, yes, the fact that it’s a non ideal mixture is the reason it turns into a slushy liquid. Not sure the lower alcohol wines really freeze solid at refrigerator temperatures, although they may appear to be solid. It’s a bit more difficult for me to estimate, but I think the “ice” that forms (it’s both water and alcohol) doesn’t float to the top as it does with water. This would also help promote a slushy ice, and eventually a matrix for more solid material with liquid in interstitial pockets.

-Al

[Alan_Rath]

Here’s a link that gives freezing point as a function of ABV:

Ethanol Freeze Protected Water Solutions

Those numbers are awfully “regular”, so I’ll keep searching for a site I know I can trust, but assuming they are about right, a typical bottle of wine should freeze around 20F. As Al says, the actual process is a bit more complicated, as water freezes out faster than EtOH.

This article has some useful info, particularly the idea that stirring is important; so a static bottle just left in the freezer, or sitting on a truck, will be less uniform:

https://jurnalteknologi.utm.my/index.php/jurnalteknologi/article/view/4697/3271

If you want something more in depth, try this:

B_Chazallon_Les%20Houches_2013.pdf

And another:

Does freezing a solution with water always cause the water to separate and form the ice lattice?

[J_a_y_H_a_c_k]

That’s how we made Apple Jack as kids. Buy a gallon of apple cider. Go buy the right kind of yeast and add yeast and some sugar. Ferment. Put in freezer. Pour off liquid alcohol after the water froze. Make sure mom did not catch you.