A sure fire way to make a wine lover cringe is to drop a few ice cubes in your glass of vino. But there are a couple of reasons why this frowned-upon practice could prove pleasant. More after this.
I have long been one of those people that grimaces when someone plops ice into their glass of wine. The only thing worse is when they ask me if I’d like a few cubes as well. But I must admit my attitude changed a couple of years ago when I came upon an article by a wine writer claimed certain benefits from adding a slight bit of H2O to your red Bordeaux or other substantial wine. The author reasoned that wines particularly high in alcohol could benefit from a little dilution because it not only takes a bit of the bite out of the wine but also aerates the wine and unmasks some of the hidden flavors.
Though I initially thought the idea was nuts, I have since tested the technique repeatedly–amazing both myself and others. Now, when you consider the fact that most wine experts believe that reds are served a bit too warm, a little, and I do mean very little, ice in high alcohol reds could pleasantly surprise you.
Or you could buy nicely balanced wines to begin with, serve them at the proper temperature, and save the ice for your Arnold Palmer!
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