How to Heat Wine to Kill Yeast

Heat wine to a temperature that kills yeast without killing all the natural flavor. As yeast feed on the wine sugars they excrete alcohol. This fermentation process changes the alcohol content and overall taste of the wine. Some wine makers stop fermentation by adding sulfites or sorbates that chemically attack the yeast. Pasteurizing the wine by heating it high enough and long enough to kill the active yeast stops the fermentation process without adding chemicals.

Things You'll Need

• Large, heavy-bottom saucepan or stockpot
• Wooden spoon
• Kitchen thermometer

Instructions

1. Pour the wine into a large, heavy-bottom saucepan or stockpot and place it on the stove at medium heat.

2. Stir the wine as it heats on the stove and take temperature readings every few minutes with a kitchen thermometer.

3. Lower the stove setting just slightly when the wine has reached 150 degrees Fahrenheit. Monitor the temperature and make adjustments to keep the wine between 150 and 160 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 minutes.

4. Turn off the stove burner and allow the wine to cool on the stove covered until it reaches room temperature.

5. Serve the room-temperature wine right away or move it to the refrigerator to get cold before service.

Tips & Warnings

• Add flavor to dull or boring wines by throwing a few slices of fruit or a sachet of herbs into the pot while heating the wine. Strain out the added ingredients and serve the flavored wine as soon as it cools.

References

• Stopping Fermentation: When Will It Ever End?
• Wine Pages: Wine Making and Fermentation Temperature