So my friend bought a case of Domain Droughin Pinot a month ago right before his wedding. He kept it in his house and then went on his honeymoon. Unfortunately we had a bit of a heat wave here in Oregon with temps over 100 for a week while he was gone. His case was on the middle floor of his townhome and suffice to say the AC was off so the house was probably over 100, or at least over 90.

When he got back the corks were still intact but wine had seeped out of them.

So two questions,

1: is the seal broken and the wine dead at this point?

2: How does the wine seep out? It can't be boiling at 100 degrees.

Thanks for any insight.

So two questions,

1: is the seal broken and the wine dead at this point?

Most probably. Give it a taste, but if the wine was subject to 90-100°+ temps for over a week, it certainly has been damaged. I wouldn't hold it, nor save it for a special occasion.

2: How does the wine seep out? It can't be boiling at 100 degrees.

The expansion of the liquid in the bottle was sufficient to render enough pressure on the cork to move it out, and thus break the seal. Simple physics. No boiling necessary to expand the liquid enough to do damage.

Bummer.

PH

Over 90 degrees for a week or more? It's shot. He might as well open them now. It's possible they might be drinkable now, but not for long.

Think of it as milk left on the kitchen counter for a couple of hours then refrigerated. It isn't spoiled yet by definition, but it will be much sooner. And it will taste different than a fresh carton.

Drink it NOW before it goes completely bad. It will still have a slightly cooked flavor, but nothing compared to down-the-road.

So how was your honeymoon?

Some people like mulled wine in the winter, which here, is only a few weeks away....

Assuming that the wines are not hard to find, your friend should purchase them again and then host a tasting party that pits the “cooked” wine against the replicates. See if anybody’s palate can discern between the two. He should at least have some fun with his unfortunate blunder.

and if it doesn't taste good

reduction sauce, but don't boil it

If it doesn't taste good, don't cook with it. If it tastes good and you decide to make a reduction from it, boiling is fine.

i simmer slowly

That's boiling.

slowly

' ever use sour milk in a pancake batter?

quote:

Originally posted by sfiorare:
slowly

' ever use sour milk in a pancake batter?

That's called buttermilk, and it says that on the package when you buy it. I would call the dairy and see if they can double space the cartons for you

the point is

it changes when mixed in and cooked