We have a wine fridge in our garage and we live in Phoenix. Our fridge broke this summer and we didn't catch it for a few days. The wine got very hot and some of the bottles have corks that have lifted. The foil is not broken, but I don't want to have to open all the bottles to figure it out. All the "bad" bottles are red wine. If they are bad, can I use them for cooking or making mulled wine?
Answer From Expert Roger Bohmrich MW
Given the evidence, the likelihood that your wines have not been damaged to some degree is low. Yet, there is no way to predict exactly how the taste has been affected, particularly when the corks have been pushed up by the temperature but have not broken through the capsule (which would imply greater damage). The outcome is as well a function of the type of wine: a more delicate red such as a Beaujolais would no doubt suffer the most while a powerful, full-bodied Syrah might endure the "very hot" temperature. In this situation, there really isn't an alternative to opening one of the bottles. If you have bottles of the same wine, testing one will be a good indication of the soundness of the others. If there are multiple wines, then opening only one will obviously not indicate the condition of the rest. Look at the color first: if it's a recent vintage, the wine should not be brown. The aroma should not have any "cooked" aspects and the taste should offer fruit flavors. If you have older, more fragile wines, then there will be greater concern. You can no doubt use wines which are only moderately affected for cooking if you find them undrinkable. If the damage is more obvious, then possibly heating the wine further and adding spices may be the only option.
