Can You Freeze Wine? Yes, and Here’s How

Updated: Nov. 28, 2023

Pouring Wine In Ice Cube Tray On A Table

Qwart/Getty Images

Can you freeze wine? Better yet, should you?

I don’t know if you can relate to this, but I have a problem finishing a bottle of wine. It’s just that I’m not a big wine drinker, and I usually call it a night after one or two glasses. The next day, I’m ready for craft beer or mixed drinks while that half-full bottle stares at me, making me feel ultra-guilty for wasting it. I’ve tried to cook with the leftover wine, but the timing doesn’t always work out. Which begs the question: Can you freeze wine to save it for later?

So, Can You Freeze Wine?

Although it’s unconventional, the answer is yes. You can freeze wine! The frozen wine won’t be quite the same when it thaws, so you probably won’t want to drink it straight out of the glass. That doesn’t mean you can’t use it to make wine coolers like sangria, and frozen wine is perfect for cooking, too.

Our favorite way to freeze wine is in ice cube trays so it’s pre-measured (about one ounce, or two tablespoons, per cube). We don’t recommend freezing wine in the bottle. It’ll take up too much room in the freezer, it’s hard to defrost and you’ll run the risk of the glass shattering in the frigid environment.

What Type of Wine Can You Freeze?

You can freeze any wine, from white to red to in between. Frozen white wine is perfect for making peach wine coolers while frozen red wine is ideal for sangria recipes. One of our favorite summer drinks is frozé (frozen rosé). To make it, pour a bottle of rose into a 13×9 casserole dish and scrape it into the blender when it’s frozen solid. Add a little lemon juice, a couple of cups of frozen fruit and a few tablespoons of sugar. Blend until smooth, adding ice cubes as necessary until the mixture is nice and slushy.

How Do You Store Frozen Wine?

If you use a lot of wine for cooking, feel free to leave the wine in the ice cube trays. If it will take longer than a week to get through the whole tray, pop the cubes out and store them in a freezer-safe bag. This protects the wine from absorbing other flavors from the freezer. You can also use this storage method to keep the cubes from sticking together.

How Long Can You Store Frozen Wine?

If you’re storing frozen wine in an airtight container or freezer bag, it should last between three and six months. After that, it’s still technically okay to use, but freezer burn can set in and dull the flavor.

How Do You Use Frozen Wine?

Frozen wine can be used straight out of the freezer when it’s frozen in small quantities. Simply add a cube or two to your recipe in place of cooking wine. The icy wine will melt as soon as it comes in contact with a hot pan, so it’s great for deglazing the pan after cooking steak or pork chops. You can also throw a few cubes into your favorite soup or stew to add a little depth of flavor. (Red wine is especially good in beef stew.)

Recipes That Use Leftover Wine

1 / 44

Taste of Home

Chicken Piccata with Lemon Sauce Once you've tried this tangy, yet delicate lemon chicken piccata, you won't hesitate to make it for company. Seasoned with parmesan and parsley, the chicken cooks up golden brown, then is drizzled with a light lemon sauce. —Susan Pursell, Fountain Valley, California Go to Recipe

TMB Studio

Shrimp PuttanescaI throw together these bold ingredients for a feisty seafood pasta. —Lynda Balslev, Sausalito, California (Here's what "cooking wine" really means.)