You do it with soft drinks, iced tea, water and all sorts of summer cocktails. So why do wine snobs turn up their noses when they see you adding a few cubes to a warm glass of rosé? There are some logical reasons given by true oenophiles, but there’s also a changing wine culture that rules it to be acceptable, at least in some more relaxed circles. Before you get too heavy-handed with the Sonic-style nuggets in the chardonnay, it might help to realize the “why” behind the long-standing edict of serving wine only at a prescribed temperature.
, a winemaker for Avaline Wine, offered this explanation: “Ice does change the character of wine in many ways. It can alter the mouthfeel by diluting the alcohol, modify the acidity by increasing the pH and, of course, it can dilute the flavors. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it does change the wine from the vision the winemaker had on bottling day.
” Even with that proviso, Herzberg feels it’s time to remove the stigma. “The beauty and drawback of something with as much history as wine is all the perceived etiquette that comes along with it,” she said. “The rules are too rigid, and we should be able to be more creative and tailor a drinking experience to our own preferences.
” While water molecules dilute alcohol and flavors, there are other ways ice can affect the beverage, according to , certified sommelier and director of training and cellar master at Waters Edge Wineries. “Temperatures cooler than a wine’s regular service temperature make a wine ‘tight’ and reduce aromas, which in turn further reduces overall flavor perception,” he said. “Essentially, you might lose some of the complexities and nuances that make the wine special in the first place.
” Even with that caution, he noted that it’s good to keep your objective in mind: “Ultimately, it’s about finding what works for each individual.” Some wine experts are firmly in the “bad idea” camp. Sommelier , who works at Atlanta’s , said he normally advises “you do you” when it comes to wine, but added, “that doesn’t extend to putting ice in your wine.
I believe this is the only hard, fast and rigid wine rule.” He painted a picture of the best possible drinking experience: “Have you ever had a glass of chardonnay right out of the cooler, nicely chilled to the proper temperature, between 45 to 55oF? You get all these bright citrus and tropical fruit notes, with just slight hints of oak and vanilla. As you slowly sip and it begins to warm up just a bit, you start to pick up on more of the creaminess, and the oak starts to come through more with hints of vanilla.
“That’s because some flavors are more prominent than others at a higher temperature. You’d lose all of that with a super chilled, ice-filled wine. Not to mention, unless you chug the whole glass, your final sip is going to be mainly melted ice water, and no one wants that to be the last taste you remember.
” Related...
.
