How can I prevent wine shipped during the heat of summer from “cooking”?
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Dear Dr. Vinny,
I ordered wine online during the summer. Can I do anything to prevent it from “cooking” before it gets delivered?
—Jay, Akron, Ohio
Dear Jay,
Thanks for your great (and timely!) question. Exposing wine to extreme heat—whether in a hot car, in a warehouse, or even outside your doorstep on a hot summer afternoon—may cause it to become “cooked.” There’s no formula for how long this takes, but there’s no mistaking a cooked wine, which will taste a bit stewed and tired. There’s no way to fix a cooked wine, and while drinking one won’t make you sick, it will probably be unpleasant.
Some wine clubs (especially those run by wineries) will defer shipping in the middle of a heat wave until things cool down on their end (though it could still be very warm where you live). Some will also ship your wine in insulated containers with reusable ice packs, which can mitigate some heat during travel. I even know good wine shops that will offer to hold any wine ordered during the summer until the fall, or until the customer calls and gives the green light.
The best thing you can do may well be the simplest—just wait to order your wine until the mercury starts to drop. If you really want your wine now, I’d recommend paying for expedited shipping to get the wine to you as soon as possible. You could also ask for your wine to be shipped at the beginning of the week so it’s not stored in a hot warehouse over the weekend. And make sure to bring your wine inside and store it properly as soon as it’s delivered—it would be a shame for your bottles to get heat damaged on your front porch!
—Dr. Vinny
