Wine Fault

Heat Damage

Physical

Heat damage occurs when wine is stored or shipped at sustained high temperatures, accelerating oxidation and producing jammy, pruny, or stewed fruit character. The fault is common in wines left in hot cars, warehouses, or poorly climate-controlled storage.

Also known as: Cooked storage, Thermal damage, Heat exposure

Typical severity: High

Cause

Prolonged exposure to temperatures typically above 25°C (77°F), accelerating chemical degradation and expansion that can compromise closures.

How it occurs

Summer shipping, retail floor heat, attic storage, and trunk transport push wine past safe thermal limits. Protruding corks and seepage are physical warning signs alongside flavor change.

Prevention

Climate-controlled storage and shipping, insulated packaging, avoiding trunk storage, and monitoring warehouse conditions year-round.

Descriptors created

Descriptors reduced

Commonly confused with

Common wine styles

Common grape varieties

Common regions

Related winemaking techniques

Serving implications

Beginner explanation

If a wine smells pruny or stewed and the cork pushed out, heat — not age — is the likely culprit.

FAQ

Can heat-damaged wine recover?
No — thermal degradation is permanent. Cooling the bottle stops further damage but does not restore original character.
What temperature is safe for storage?
Ideally 10–15°C (50–59°F) consistently. Brief spikes are less harmful than sustained heat above 25°C.

Related ontology entities

See also

Fault identification guidance reflects common wine education practice and may vary by wine style, age, and context.