Dr. Vinny’s Top Questions of 2025

The winter holiday season is one of my favorite times to share great wine with friends and family. The end of the year also makes me reflect on all of your questions I’ve had the joy of answering over the past 12 months. 

Below are the year’s most popular questions, including new topics, repeat top questions and classics, from food-and-wine pairings to storage conundrums to advice for dining out and beyond. I’ve also included a few of my personal favorite fun questions from the year.

Here’s to another wonderful year of learning about and enjoying wine in 2026. You can catch me here each week, and don’t forget to submit your pressing vinous questions.

Just click on the headlines below to read each answer. Cheers!

Top New Questions

1. Can I fly with a bottle of Champagne in my checked luggage? Will it explode?

Get your bottles of bubbly to your destination without any travel messes.

2. Is it safe to drink a glass of wine that was left out overnight?

Plus, how will it taste?

3. What’s the best way to chill down a bottle of wine quickly?

You forgot to put your wine in the fridge—but don’t panic! There’s still time to chill that bottle.

Repeat Top Questions

1. What’s the best wine to serve with Mexican food?

From tacos to seafood and beyond, get my best pairing ideas—including Mexican wines.

2. What’s the proper etiquette when a server at a restaurant pours you a small taste of wine?

And the real question: To sniff or not to sniff the cork?

3. Which wines pair best with Thanksgiving turkey, stuffing and sides?

The Thanksgiving table is a famously tricky pairing challenge, but it doesn’t have to be so complicated.

4. What should I do if a cork gets stuck in the neck of a wine bottle?

Pro tips for pulling that cork out—or pushing it all the way in.

Top Classic Questions

1. Once chilled, must a wine stay chilled? Is it ruined if it warms up again?

Wine is resilient—but how does it handle big temperature swings?

2. I left my wine in a hot car. Is it ruined?

How hot is too hot for your bottles?

3. What temperatures should I set my dual-zone wine fridge at?

You won’t regret investing in proper wine storage. But what now?

4. Is it OK to drink wine if the cork crumbles and pieces fall into the wine?

It’s a fact of life: Things fall apart, and corks crumble. Can you still enjoy your bottle?

Dr. Vinny’s Picks

1. Should I add jalapeño peppers to my Sauvignon Blanc?

What’s behind the trend, and is it worth trying for yourself?

2. What’s the best way to open a bottle of wine without a corkscrew?

A shoe, a tree, a flame ... which is best?

3. What’s the best way to send wine as a gift?

Wine is my favorite gift to give and receive, but it can be tricky to send to friends in far places. Get my tips!