I chilled a bottle of Beringer White Zinfandel in the fridge prior to visiting friends. Sadly, the visit never took place. My question is, can I safely move the wine to a cool basement, without any spoilage? And if so, how long would the wine stay fresh? The bottle is corked.
Answer From Expert Roger Bohmrich MW
There is no worry whatsoever in moving your wine from the refrigerator to a cool basement. Stability of temperature (and other conditions) is important for long-term cellaring, but there is no harm in changes to most wines unless they are extreme; for example, from cold to very hot. The other point is that this White Zin is unlikely to be better than the day it was released by the winery - or at least soon thereafter. This does not mean it will fall apart quickly, but it is a wine to drink when it is very young and fruity.
