Can you freeze wine?
Yes, wine freezes at around 15 to 20°F, so a home freezer will freeze it solid, and it is great for saving leftovers to cook with, though it won’t taste quite as good for sipping afterward.
Freezing is a smart way to rescue the last half bottle you know you won't finish. It's not the best way to save wine for drinking, and a full glass bottle in the freezer can end badly.
- Freezes at
- Roughly 15–20°F, depending on alcohol
- Home freezer
- About 0°F, cold enough to freeze it
- Best container
- Ice cube tray or freezer bag
- Keeps for
- A few months for cooking
The ice cube tray trick
Pour leftover wine into an ice cube tray, freeze it, then pop the cubes into a labeled freezer bag. Each cube is about an ounce or two, perfect for dropping into a pan sauce, risotto or stew.
Red and white both work. Keep them in separate bags so you grab the right one later.
Why not freeze the bottle
Wine expands as it freezes. That can push the cork out or crack the glass, which leaves you with a mess and possibly glass shards in the freezer. Sparkling wine is the riskiest because it is already under pressure.
If you stuck a bottle in the freezer to chill it and forgot, check it carefully before handling. A slushy bottle that is still intact can be thawed in the fridge.
Can you drink it after thawing?
You can, and it won't hurt you, but freezing dulls the fruit and can leave crystals in the bottom of the glass. Light, fruity wines take the biggest hit.
Frozen wine has one fun use for drinking: blending rosé cubes with a little fruit into frosé, or adding red cubes to sangria so it stays cold without watering down.
Keep reading
- How long does wine last after opening?
- How do you chill wine fast?
- What is rosé wine?
- What is the best wine for sangria?
- What is the best rosé wine?
Last checked 2026-10-18.