It certainly doesn’t feel like Spring in many parts of the country. Even so, the season of renewal officially begins today.
As late 19th- and early 20th-century author, educator and clergyman Henry Van Dyke once noted, “The first day of Spring is one thing, and the first Spring day is another. The difference between them is sometimes as great as a month.”
So, if you’re not already starting to trade hot lattes for cool Frappuccinos, or hot tea for iced tea… it shouldn’t be long.
Good thing, too, because we Americans are different from our English forefathers. Here in America, we like our beer cold. And that goes for most other beverages as well.
Soft drinks. Iced tea. Milk. Milkshakes. Fruit juices. Energy drinks. Smoothies. Iced coffee (particularly in the summertime). You name one beverage served hot or warm, and we can name two or three that are served cold.
So it should come as no surprise that a good number of wine drinkers opt for white wines over reds mainly because whites typically are served cold, or at least somewhat chilled. And, if they weren’t concerned about what others might think, they’d also prefer that red wines be chilled down.
True, such an assertion might send chills down the spine of an oenophile. But here at Vinesse, we simply want people to enjoy wine—whatever the color, whatever the sweetness level, and whatever the temperature.
While it’s true that precision in the serving temperature for specific varieties or types of wine can add to one’s drinking enjoyment, it’s also true that everyone is not the same. We’ve featured numerous temperature-related blogs through the years, but today’s is dedicated to those who prefer their wine cold.
Here are three tips to help you add some thrill to the chill…
- If you need or want to chill down a bottle quickly, get a big bucket, fill it half-full with ice, and then fill it to the top with water. Submerge the bottle of wine for a few minutes. Ice water works much more quickly than ice alone.
- Add an ice cube to your glass of wine. And make it a big cube, which will chill the wine without diluting the wine’s flavor too much.
- Unless you’re planning to keep a bottle around for several months, it’s perfectly okay to keep it in the refrigerator. Just take it out at least 10 minutes before serving so you’ll be able to taste its unique flavors.
