| VIN-SIGHTS |

BY MARNIE OLD

It may sound sacrilegious to wine professionals , but the simplest and most effective way to preserve opened wine is to freeze it .

As we illustrated in the previous issue , wine ’ s flavor is never static at any age , but rapid changes begin as soon as a wine cork is pulled . There are two types of changes that drive wine spoilage once the bottle is opened — one driven by evaporation and another by exposure to air .

Wine ’ s volatile aroma and flavor compounds dissipate progressively over time , leaving all but the finest wines tasting noticeably flatter and less fragrant within a matter of hours . Meanwhile , the rush of oxygen-rich air triggers a cascade of oxidation reactions within the wine that begin compromise the freshness of its flavor , and will eventually brown its color as well . Airborne micro-organisms come along for the ride , such as yeasts that can spark refermentation and acetobacter , which starts wine on its long , slow march toward becoming vinegar .

Most wine preservation devices are ineffective . Some address only one of the two forms of degradation , as with vacuum pumps , which slow exposure to air but sadly speed up flavor loss to evaporation .

Others may address both to some extent , as with those that blanket the wine with an inert gas , but these don ’ t work perfectly and their efficiency wanes after a few days .

Expensive Coravin devices are the most effective of the bunch , but are in a different category , since the wine is extracted without opening the bottle . But when wine is frozen , both forms of spoilage grind to a near halt .

Freezing can ’ t save every shred of flavor in fresh wine — nothing can . But just as prompt freezing is the best way to preserve fresh-picked fruit or vegetables , freezing wine is shockingly efficient for retaining the flavor of a freshly opened bottle . Best of all , no other preservation method has its staying power : A frozen wine will taste the same whether it is thawed after a day , a week , a month , or a year .

If you ’ re not convinced , test it at home ! Open two bottles of the same wine . Pour out at least a glass from each and then put one in the freezer and use your preferred preservation device on the other .

After a week , thaw your frozen bottle and compare side by side . This method certainly raises eyebrows , but it ’ s hard to argue with its flavorful results .

Marnie Old is one of the country ’ s leading wine educators . Formerly the director of wine studies for Manhattan ’ s French Culinary Institute , she is best known for her visually engaging books published by DK , such as Wine : A Tasting Course . Marnie currently serves as director of vinlightenment for Boisset Collection .

FREEZING WINE : THE DOS & DON ’ TS

Freezing unopened wine bottles is a bad idea . Wine ’ s water content will expand by almost 10 % as it solidifies , which can make a mess in your freezer . But once you ’ ve poured a glass , freezing becomes a great way to preserve what ’ s left of the bottle to enjoy later .

There are a few caveats , of course . As with other preservation methods , young , bold tasting wines are more resilient than mature or delicate tasting wines . Carbonated wines will be flattened by freezing . Frozen wine should only touch glass , not cork or closure , to avoid possible negative flavor impact .

Thawing a frozen bottle takes a few hours but goes faster under warm running water . Most wines will throw a visible sediment of tartrates once thawed as well , but this is harmless and a small price to pay for convenience .

Don ’ t Let Wine TOUCH THE CORK Or Closure

FREEZE YOUR OPENED WINE BOTTLES Upright

Never Freeze UNOPENED Bottles

1989

SPARKLING WINES Lose Carbonation When Frozen & VERY MATURE WINES Are Often Too Delicate To Be Preserved

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