Oops! There was an error.
The event you are looking for doesn't exist. It is possible that this event is pending confirmation or is under review. Please check back.
Q&A: Wine & Food Questions
wine storage after electrical outage
Wine was left in 85 degree room after electrical outage. Is is still good? If so, for how long?
Answer From Expert Roger C. Bohmrich, MW
It is doubtful that the wine was seriously affected by an 85 degree room, presumably for a few hours and not days. It would take much more heat, or lengthy exposure, to do damage. You should first inspect the bottle. Is there leakage down the neck? That would indicate that the wine had reached a fairly high temperature, perhaps higher that 85 degrees, and that the wine had expanded and leaked through the closure. In any case, it is a simple fact that most wines are subjected to considerable temperature variation during shipment from the winery, or in the course of storage or delivery to a store or restaurant.
About The Expert
Roger has enjoyed a lengthy career in the wine trade as an importer and retailer, and at present he is an educator, speaker and consultant. He set up and managed Millesima USA, a New York merchant affiliated with Europe's leader in direct sales of fine wines to consumers. Previously, he served as senior executive of Frederick Wildman & Sons, traveling regularly around the world to visit wineries and taste the new vintage from barrel. Roger became one of America's first Masters of Wine in 1993.
Visit Roger C. Bohmrich, MW's web site
