Possibly frozen wine

[Victor_Hong]

@dteng

Victor is referencing my case of 2000 Giscours that arrived with corks pushed out (after the retailer in NY convinced me that ground shipping in the middle of winter was fine…). However, in my case, the corks were pushed almost all the way out as some of the foils were left dangling. There was also leaking. The retailer obviously took them back and I was refunded…In comparison, your photos show much more mild freeze damage.

In any event, personally, I’d return the wines.
If not, I’d drink them sooner rather than later…maybe add some protein powder and you have a nice smoothie!

Visit Noo Yawk, to drink mine.

[dteng]

In due time, Victor, in due time…

[Linda_Baehr]

@Tony Petro

Can anyone whose chemistry/physics is less rusty than mine offer a hypothesis as to a mechanism for cold damage?

Seems like the biggest effect of cold would be to cause precipitation of solutes (tartaric acid being the most common example). But most precipitation reactions are readily reversible, are they not?

Heat damage arguably occurs when the additional kinetic energy (a) speeds up biological reactions (e.g., brett growth), (b) speeds up oxidation reactions, and/or (c) damages complex molecules (e.g., esters–not sure if this would be considered “oxidation” per se). By contrast, cold retards most reactions. And although cold can cause a phase change, this is a physical property and not a chemical property.

Out of ignorance, it seems to me that precipitation would be the most likely cause for perceptible changes in wines that have experience freezing temperatures–I don’t understand how chemical damage like that caused by heat could occur with cold.

Yes. Freezing would more likely cause pH changes than anything else. When a wine is at/below pH ~3.55, freezing can cause the pH to go down
slightly, and it can go up slightly if it is over 3.55 prior to freezing. Can’t imagine how or why it would impact esters, unless the wine was not allowed to be brought back to proper temp. Any possible change in pH would be very small, but it could possible change the organoleptic qualities of the wine slightly.

[Robert_Titelman]

My last Saxum shipment was sent during a freeze. A little concerned, but haven’t tried yet.

[Neil_Gilmour]

I have tried freezing leftover wine and found it worked pretty well. I did not discern any deterioration from freezing. It’s interesting to watch it thaw. I assume that the alcolhol liquifies first. that would make an interesting drink if one drained it off before everything else melted.

[Victor_Hong]

@Neil Gilmour

I have tried freezing leftover wine and found it worked pretty well. I did not discern any deterioration from freezing. It’s interesting to watch it thaw. I assume that the alcolhol liquifies first. that would make an interesting drink if one drained it off before everything else melted.

That is intentional, to store unfinished wine.
In this case, the freezing was not intentional, and the wine was still in the collection stage.

[Al_Osterheld]

@Neil Gilmour

I have tried freezing leftover wine and found it worked pretty well. I did not discern any deterioration from freezing. It’s interesting to watch it thaw. I assume that the alcolhol liquifies first. that would make an interesting drink if one drained it off before everything else melted.

When a frozen mixture of alcohol and water starts to melt, the liquid contains both alcohol and water, but more a much higher concentration of alcohol than in the mixture.

-Al