Disclaimer: In no way, as appreciators of wine, are we recommending you freeze or microwave your vino. We came across this though, and we couldn’t resist sharing.
It’s some rainy Tuesday evening, work was brutal, and tomorrow you’ve got a 10 hour flight to catch. We’ve all been there before. Nothing in this world sounds better than a glass of red wine to decompress.
But what about the rest of the bottle? How do you make sure it doesn’t go to waste while you’re out of town? According to James Laube from Wine Spectator, there’s a better option than just leaving it on the counter till you’re back home: freeze it. No, we’re not kidding (but maybe test it out with a less expensive Merlot). “The best way to save your open bottle is to freeze it. I’ve used this method for decades to preserve my wine and I’ve never been betrayed by it,” said James Laube.“The most common scenario for me is if I’m leaving town for a few days or longer and want to drink a special bottle the night before I go, but only want a glass or two. Why open a bottle and let half go to waste? If you freeze it, it won’t.”
But it gets weirder. Most of us would assume that to unfreeze your wine (what a sentence) you’d let it thaw out on the counter. And James confirms that this is definitely one way to do it. The other way is to just pop it in the microwave. Again, not kidding. James recommends putting the bottle in the microwave for 15 – 20 seconds before letting it thaw naturally, to speed up the process. While he admits that you’re likely to get more sediment after it thaws out, he also says that the wine usually comes out less tannic,which can be a benefit to the wine’s profile.
And while this all may sound crazy, we can all agree that it is, at the very least, another excuse to crack open that bottle and enjoy a glass, guilt-free. Just remember, if you do try this at home, spare anything 90 + points and above. Afterall, those bottles are meant to befinished.
