Should I be concerned about wine freezing in my car if it’s below freezing outside?
Hello there! I'm Dr. Vinifera, but you can call me Vinny. Ask me your toughest wine questions, from the fine points of etiquette to the science of winemaking. And don't worry, I'm no wine snob—you can also ask me those "dumb questions" you're too embarrased to ask your wine geek friends! I hope you find my answers educational, empowering and even amusing. And don't forget to check out my most asked questions and my full archives for all my Q&A classics.
Dear Dr. Vinny,
Should I be concerned about wine freezing in my car if it’s below freezing outside?
—Cheryl, Tooele, Utah
Dear Cheryl,
Alcohol’s freezing point is far lower than that of water, but wine is still mostly water. You probably know that you can put a bottle of vodka in the freezer and it won’t freeze, but that’s not true for a bottle of wine. The freezing point of a bottle of wine is about 15° to 20° F, depending on the alcohol content. And while freezing wine in an ice tray or plastic bottle is a great way to save it for another day, freezing wine in a glass bottle can cause the cork to be pushed out or the glass to break.
—Dr. Vinny
