Can I Put Ice Cubes in My Wine?

Yes, it does change the taste of the wine when you put ice cubes in it. Please don’t.  However, we’re on the same page that sometimes you need something cold, cold as ice. There are certain wines which are best suited for serving at temperatures near freezing and there are other wines that you should hold for a day when you aren’t sweating and feeling so thirsty. There are no wines you should put ice cubes in, cool? Here’s our list of crisp whites that you can serve extra cold, the best chilled reds, and another endorsement for rosé in the summer. 

Why are some wines better than others to be served really cold? 

When wines are too cold or too warm their flavors simplify. For example, with White Burgundy: if it’s too cold you’ll only taste the tart flavors like lemon and green apple. When it’s too warm, you’ll taste the buttery and nutty flavors. When it’s just right, those all blend together to make a perfectly balanced wine. 

Here’s a few categories of wine we would recommend if you need to drink wine as cold as this guy sitting on an iceberg:

Coastal White Wines

It’s usually hot in these parts and based on natural selection, the white wines from the coastal parts of Spain and Italy in turn are our favorites for warm weather. Why? They’re consistently fresh and crisp rather than round and rich. Think of drinking food you want to eat during certain seasons. Most of us don’t crave butter and potatoes on a hot day but instead you want things from the coast like seafood and fruits. It’s the same deal with wine, coastal wine, is warm weather wine.

Terenzuola, 'Vigne Basse' Vermentino Colli di Luni 2020

Bengoetxe Getariako Txakolina 2019

What are the best Italian white wines to drink really cold? Vermentino, Friulano, Etna Bianco, Favorita. 

What are the best Spanish white wines to drink really cold? Albariño, Godello, and Txakolina. 

Sancerre and Sauvignon Blanc

Sancerre is the quintessential dry and light white wine. Sometimes it can feel like a boring choice on a wine list, sometimes it is. However, it’s well known for a reason. It’s best served cold, it’s inexpensive,  and easy to consume a lot of - all aspects we enjoy.  It’s 100% sauvignon blanc which has flavors of grapefruit, lime, and herbs. It’s not a complex wine but is a wine that’s meant to be served cold and consumed quickly.

Domaine du Carrou Sancerre 2019

Domaine Vacheron, Sancerre 2019

Dalia Maris, Sauvignon Blanc 2017

Domaine Pellé, Menetou-Salon Morogues Blanc 2019

What are the best regions for sauvignon blanc? Loire Valley in France and north eastern Italy. 

Riesling

Dry riesling is the skinny margarita of the wine-world. It’s delicious but you’re afraid to order it.

Müller-Ruprecht, Riesling Trocken 2019

Nathan K, Dry Riesling Finger Lakes, New York 2019

How do you tell if it’s a dry riesling? Look for Trocken on the label. That means dry in German. Don’t buy any thing that ends in '-ESE.' Those are the really sweet ones: Spatlese, Auslese, etc.

And of course: rosé.

Is it ok to put ice cubes in rosé? As long as we both agree that you’re not trying to have a wine experience but you’re just trying to have a drink. That’s fine by us. 

Triennes, Rosé Provence 2020

Ameztoi, Txakolina Rosé 2020

Where do the best dry rosés come from? Look for: Côtes du Provence rosé, Spanish rosé, and some of the Italian ones.