<<Oh no, the horror!>> "Wait, did you seriously drop ice into your wine? That's a big no-no." I mean, who in their right mind would ruin a perfectly good glass of red with ice cubes? And of course, the wine police are quick to swoop in with their judgmental remarks.
Ha! I am sure that is exactly what my waitress thought at lunch yesterday after I asked for an extra glass with 1-2 ice cubes for my wine. She was probably thinking that I know nothing about wine and was secretly giggling at my ignorance as she went back to get my ice.
First, let's address the ideal serving temperature for wine. Whites, rosés, and sparkling wines should be served chilled, but not overly cold to ensure that the flavors and aromas are able to be fully expressed. Most of the time this is less of an issue and if the wine is served a little too cold and seems to lack flavors and character, that will improve as it sits in the glass and warms a bit.
Appropriate red wine service temperature seems to be a harder concept to grasp, not just for the casual wine drinker but also for restaurants, as I just experienced at lunch. Lighter red wines should be slightly chilled, while full-bodied reds are best enjoyed at room temperature.
The tradition of serving wine at room temperature likely dates back to medieval times when the "room" referred to was found in an Old World castle. These castles, often located at northerly latitudes, maintained temperatures around 54–57°F (12–14°C). Perhaps it's time to reconsider the wording of the recommendation for "room temperature." In sunny California where I currently reside, even with air conditioning in the middle of summer, room temperature hovers around 74°F, which is NEVER suitable for serving any type of wine!
On multiple occasions I have had red wines delivered to my table at completely inappropriate temperatures, sometimes even hot!! <<Gasp,WTF?>> I have refused the wine and had it sent back before. Yesterday, however, the wine was almost suitable so I just asked for an ice cube or two to bring it down to the right temp. That being said, if I had ordered a bottle rather than a glass, I would have also had them chill the wine for me. Let's talk options:
Let's face it, not everyone has a wine refrigerator or plans ahead enough to serve perfectly chilled red wine at 55–64°F. It's a common scenario to grab a bottle directly off the shelf and realize it needs a little TLC before it's ready to drink. So, what can you do last minute to salvage the situation?
### Quick Last-Minute Fixes:
1. **Refrigerate:** If you have a few minutes, pop the bottle in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before serving. This can work wonders. If you are in a restaurant you can have them either refrigerate it, order a new bottle or have them bring an ice bucket to the table.
2. **Reusable Ice Cubes:** An effective solution is to use reusable ice cubes. Simply add one or two to each glass of wine you pour. While ice cubes in wine might sound unconventional, in this case, it's a game-changer. These reusable cubes keep your wine cool without diluting it, unlike traditional ice cubes. I keep these in my freezer at all times, they come in clear and neon (the kids love them for their drinks too). Unfortunately, if you are at a restaurant this is not an option and sometimes you have to make do with what's available. In such situations, I'd opt to add 1-2 ice cubes to my wine to cool it down, even if it means a bit of dilution. After all, it's better to enjoy a perfectly chilled wine than to sip on something lukewarm.
3. **Wine Chillers:** Wine chillers also work wonders when dining al fresco to keep the wine at that perfect temperature, while transporting wine, but are less effective in an "emergency." I cannot live without my wine chiller. The one wine chiller that works super last minute is a frozen, moldable ice pack that I also keep in the freezer and have thrown on a bottle just before I packed it in the picnic basket.
Here's the scoop: sure, plopping ice cubes into your wine is not the best practice and is generally disapproved of, it can be acceptable in certain situations as a quick solution. Yes, you heard that right! Even as a self-proclaimed "wine snob" I assure you it's okay to do so! 😉
With these quick fixes, you can still enjoy your wine even if it's not perfectly chilled from the start. Cheers!
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