Ok so its HOT...

August 20, 2008

One crucial rule folks.  Its HOT out. Here inTexas its 100+ every day. BEWARE THE HEAT! Did you realize that your closed and locked vehicle can get up to 140 degrees in less than 20 minutes in this kind of heat? Do you realize how fast your wine can cook in that heat?

HEAT IS THE ENEMY OF YOUR WINE!  Fifteen minutes at the 150 temp in your car can and will ruin your wine. yeah, really.

One time in my shop, The Cellar, a nice lady wanted a bottle of 1997 Opus One as a gift. It was July and it was hot.  I told her NOT to leave the wine in her car. The next day she came back, complaining that the bottle had leaked.  I asked her, "did you leave the wine in your car?" She said "well only for a couple of hours while I ran errands".  I showed her the other bottles of the Opus in the same case.  Did she see any others leaking? No...I told her that she ruined the wine. She STILL demanded a replacement bottle.  I looked her in the eye and said  "M'am, if you bought a gallon of ice cream, and left in your car trunk for a couple of hours in the 100 degree heat, would you return it to the grocery store and demand a relacement because it melted? Would you REALLY think they would give you one if you did? Why do you think THIS is any different?"

I beg you, TREAT YOUR WINE LIKE IT WAS ICE CREAM in the heat.  Wine is happy at 55 degrees, wine is NOT designed to hang out at 100 degree or worse temperatures.

If you cook your wine, don't blame the guy who sold it to you, its YOUR fault.