Five Fast Wine Chilling Tricks

There’s something wonderful about a perfectly chilled glass of wine on a sultry August day. But if you forgot to put that special bottle in the fridge, there are other ways to cool it down.

Here are five ways you can sip chilled wine in minutes.

Salt of the Earth

Remember watching an adult putting ice in the ice cream machine when you were growing up? That was to help it freeze faster, and it's a trick that works well with wine. Simply grab an ice bucket or a deep pan, place the wine bottle in it and fill with ice. Toss in a couple handfuls of salt and fill with cold water up to the bottleneck. The salt melts the ice, which makes the water get colder faster. (It works like putting salt on an icy sidewalk.) Let it set about 15 minutes before serving.

Freeze In

It seems I rely on this method most of the time. Take that room-temperature bottle and place it in your freezer. (Better yet if you have a large chest-type freezer where you can place the bottle down among bags of frozen veggies.) Wait 15 to 20 minutes, pull it out and pour. (Just don’t forget and leave the bottle in there.)

Frozen Fruit Fix

Grapes work best for this trick although other fruits can be used. Freeze red grapes for red wine and white grapes for white wine. Just drop a few in the glass and pour your room-temp wine over them. No more ice cubes in the wine. Now you have a classy alternative that looks and tastes great. You can use other fruits, just be sure to pair with the wine grape with the frozen fruit used. For example, serve Chardonnay with frozen peaches.

Beverage Stones

These little jewels may also be marketed as wine pearls or whiskey stones, but the moniker doesn’t matter. Simply keep the stainless stones in the freezer until needed. Place a couple of cubes in your glass for a quickly chilled vino. Now, how cool is that?

HyperChiller

Prep the chiller by filling the inner and outer stainless steel chambers with water, twist in place and place in the freezer overnight. Pour your room temp vino in the top, swirl and you’ll pour out a nicely chilled wine in less than 60 seconds – with no dilution. This chiller will also work with whiskey, juice, even hot coffee.

Best Wine Temps for Serving White Wines

Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, Moscato and sparkling wines should be served around 45º degrees Fahrenheit (7 degrees Celsius)

Chardonnay is best served between 48 - 52 degrees Fahrenheit (9 - 11 degrees Celsius)

Best Wine Temps for Serving Red Wines

Merlot, Pinot Noir and Red Blends serve at 62 - 65 degrees Fahrenheit (15 - 18 degrees Celsius)

Zinfandel, Syrah and Cabernet chill to about 60 degrees Fahrenheit (15 degrees Celsius)

Now pour a glass of wine and chill.

~ Joy

The Wines for Summer

With the arrival of Memorial Day comes our readiness to plunge into summer!  For the next three months, we’ll search for all things cool and comfortable – including our wines.  Now’s the time to relax, kickback, and enjoy a fresh, crisp wine - and there are several types to consider.

White wines are judged to be the mainstays for summer.  Their crisp, acidic flavors go well with white meats and those summer specialties, potato salad, veggies, even Gazpacho! 

We usually expect summer whites to be chilled and cool, but go don’t go overboard and freeze them.  Lightly chilled will keep the wines fresh, crisp, aromatic, and cool – perfect for hot weather drinking.

Summer time is salad time and, yes; there are wines that pair well with a salad.  The first thing to consider is the dressing you’ll be using.  One with a lot of acid and vinegar will compete with a wine.  Look for a more mellow dressing and pair the wine according to what’s in your salad.  Topping that salad with fruit?  Check out a Riesling or Traminette.  Fresh berries?  Head for a Pinot Noir or Beaujolais.  Is your salad heavy on the herbs?  Select a wine with herbal-notes like non-oaked Merlot or Sauvignon Blanc.

If you’re grilling white meat, chicken, pork or fish, and want a white wine, consider a lightly chilled bottle of Chenin Blanc or Sauvignon Blanc, both go well with white meats and veggies. 

If you’re grilling bold flavors, be sure to match your wine to the main flavor profile.  This could be the meat itself or the sauce or marinade you’ll be using on it.  If it’s a BBQ burger or a steak, go for a robust red, a non-oaked Shiraz or Malbec can handle this.  If you’re grilling chicken or chops but want a red wine, check out a Merlot or Pinot Noir.  Both offer a softer red flavor without overwhelming the white meat.

If you want to pair a wine with chips and dips, try a young sparkling wine.  Those fresh, crisp bubbles help cut the greasy chip taste away.

If you’re looking for a ‘one size fits all’ wine for summer – consider a Rosé.  It’s a food-friendly wine and can be served room temperature or chilled.

Or make your own Sangria!  Cool, refreshing and another great summer wine option.  Light, fruity flavors beg to be enjoyed during the summer.

And don’t forget, a light, sparkling wine can make a summer afternoon more bearable. Have it with cold food, hot food, or just because you've finished cutting the grass!

Here are ten great summertime wines, perfect for steamy days and sultry nights:

1) Sauvignon Blanc, 
2) Chenin Blanc 
3) Traminette
4) Merlot
5) Pinot Noir
6) Rosé 
7) Sangria 
8) Muscato 
9) Vidal Blanc
10) Sparkling wines   

Use these to experiment with, then dive in and discover what you like.  Find a great pairing?  Let us know! Just remember to keep it fun and light - After all, it’s summer – Enjoy!

~ Joy