Champagne and sparkling wines are best-served ice cold. But no one told us that leaving them in the freezer to “chill” can easily kill the bubbles in the bubbly, lending a not only less fizzy drink but one that also tastes flat. Never freeze your champagne. Like ever.
But if you’ve found yourself forgetting the bottle you tuck in the freezer after initially planning to chill it for only a few minutes, then you’re in for a new challenge. The best way to thaw frozen champagne is to transfer the bottle to the refrigerator.
In a hurry? There are alternative ways how to defrost champagne bottles. Below, we’ll show you easy, step-to-step guides to making your bubbly enjoyable again!
Reasons You Shouldn’t Freeze Champagne
So, here’s the cold truth. No matter how badly you want your champagne to be ice cold to drink, freezing the bottles will only do more harm than good. You simply couldn’t freeze them. Well, unless you want your champagne to:
Turn Into a Slushy
Champagne could even go back if left in the freezer for a long time. Most wines including champagne have a freezing point from 15 and 20°F. Keep in mind that most household freezers have a freezing temperature set to 0°F because they are designed to preserve food items.
When champagne freezes, it could turn into a champagne slush. This is because the pressure of the water content in Champagne will expand at freezing temperatures.
Become Rock Hard
It’s an obvious possibility. Champagne can become solid or rock hard as ice if left frozen. This is not good because the cork in the champagne bottle has a lot of pressure, so the worst that could happen is it suddenly pops.
If your bottle is still undamaged and the cork is still tight in the bottle, congratulations, and thaw it out now!
Or Worse, Explode…
Yup. As we’ve said, frozen bottles can explode due to pressure, which can trigger the cork into popping. This can burst the bottles. The liquid in the sparkling wine expands and can cause the champagne bottles to explode and break. Be careful when handling the frozen bottles.
Does It Affect Its Taste?
Freezing champagne bottles can definitely affect their taste. The extremely cold temperatures can kill the bubbles in your sparkling wine. You may notice your frozen or thawed champagne tasting flatter after.
How Do You Know if Champagne Has Gone Bad Out of the Freezer?
The thing is, wine in general will still be good even after thawing or defrosting it as long as the bottle is still intact. But expect a reduced carbonation if you thaw a frozen champagne. It’s over. If anything, it would just be a regular white wine with some bubbles.
Sure, it may still taste kinda good but just know that it has lost its oomph.
In addition, the extreme cold can damage the delicate notes of Champagne. It’s one of the alcoholic drinks in the world that is chemically sophisticated. The cold can affect the tartrate and protein stabilities of the wine. This is why many Champagne Houses refuse to export wines during the coldest winter months, especially of the destination has a cold climate.
So, if your wine is tasting bitter with less fresh fruit and floral notes, maybe it’s time to throw it away.
Defrosted champagne is still safe to consume, though. You may see some ice crystals (tartaric acid crystals) falling out of the wine, but it’s still safe to drink.
How Do You Defrost a Frozen Bottle of Champagne?
You took out a frozen champagne out of your freezer. Now, what do you do?
Don’t worry, it’s a simple fix. Here’s how to thaw a frozen champagne bottle:
- First, check for any damage. If it has exploded, throw it away. But if the cork is compromised, set the wine bottle upright and leave it alone.
- Now is the time to transfer the frozen bottle to your refrigerator. This way, the frozen champagne can defrost slowly and safely in a temperature-controlled environment. You can leave it in your sink if you want to consume it right away.
- Then, wait for it to defrost. This can take anywhere from a few hours if left in the sink or overnight in the fridge. Make sure not to rush it as the slower it thaws, the better for the champagne.
- Finally, open the bottle and taste the wine. The champagne may have lost some of its bubbles, but it should still be good and safe to drink.
Other Ways To Thaw Frozen Champagne Bottle
You can also try other alternative ways to thaw your frozen champagne bottles. If you have the budget, use a dedicated wine chiller. But how is it different from a standard refrigerator, you ask?
Well, a wine chiller can defrost and chill champagne faster than your fridge. But it will still require your supervision because over-chilling your bubbly is not good.
The other way is to submerge the wine bottles in cold water. It’s super easy and speeds up defrosting your frozen champagne. Remember to monitor the entire process, though.
Keep Your Champagne Bottles From Freezing
First off, you should not, under any circumstance, put wine bottles in the freezer. But if you want to drink it cold right away, you may tuck the wine into the fridge for a few minutes. Remember to take it out later, because once it freezes, it will kill some of its bubbles. The champagne will also struggle to release its flavors.
And besides, there are other effective ways to chill your wine without compromising its quality. You can give it an ice bath using a wine bucket filled with ice and water or just get a wine chiller.
How Do You Store Unopened Champagne?
If you have an unopened bottle of champagne and you want to store it long-term, place it in a dark area, away from heat and any direct light source. The ideal temperature for storing champagne is around 45-50°F, and it should remain in that range throughout its storage life.
These standards are crucial to preserve the quality of the wine. Constant exposure to direct sunlight, for example, can compromise your champagne’s taste. So, it may also be worth it to invest in a dedicated wine cellar.
Storing champagne bottles is just as straightforward. Keep it at the same constant temperature, in your fridge or a dedicated wine cooler. You can still consume it after 3-4 days and it will still be as good as when you first opened it.
Perhaps you can freeze any leftover Champagne using ice cube trays. You can use the frozen champagne cubes for margaritas or Mimosa and cooking!
FAQs
Can You Leave a Bottle of Champagne in the Freezer?
No, it’s simply not good to freeze champagne. And it’s not the fastest way to chill your bubbly, either. Freezing or over-chilling champagne in general will reduce its carbonation.
If you must leave it in the freezer (we don’t recommend this) for whatever reason, make sure to take it out after 15-20 minutes. It should be seriously cool to the touch. Please don’t leave it there for longer!
Can You Unfreeze a Bottle of Champagne?
Yes, you can. However, the amount of time it takes to unfreeze depends on the size of the wine bottle and your freezer’s temperature. On average, your champagne should take a few hours or overnight to defrost.
Wrapping Up
We all love serving champagne ice cold and all. But, freezing them is not the best and fastest way to enjoy them cold. That said, there’s no need to panic when you forget to take it out of the fridge after a long time. You can just thaw it, wait it out, and enjoy.
We hope you’ve found this guide helpful. If you have more questions, let us know and we’d love to help. Cheers!
