How to Chill Wine Fast: 5 Ways to Chill Wine Quickly

The ideal serving temperature for a glass of wine will depend upon the variety. As a general rule, white wine and sparkling wine should be served at a lower temperature than red wine, but there are some additional nuances to consider.

• Sparkling white wines: Sparkling white wines are best served at lower temperatures. Serve sparkling wines at a temperature of forty to fifty degrees Fahrenheit.
• Rosé: Much like sparkling white wine, rosé does well when served at around forty degrees Fahrenheit.
• Riesling and pinot grigio: Try serving riesling, pinot grigio, and any other high-acid white wine at fifty degrees Fahrenheit.
• Chardonnay and sauvignon blanc: Aim for a temperature of fifty to sixty degrees Fahrenheit for these fuller-bodied wines.
• Fruity red wines: Fruity red wines should be served at the same temperature as a full-bodied white. Aim for fifty-five to sixty degrees for tempranillo or gamay.
• Spicy, full-bodied reds: These varieties should be served just below room temperature. The proper serving temperature for a shiraz or syrah is roughly sixty to sixty-five degrees Fahrenheit. Pinot noir can be served a bit warmer.
• High-tannin, full-bodied red wine: These varieties taste wonderful at room temperature. For example, merlot and cabernet sauvignon do well at room temperature, but they too can express new flavors when slightly chilled.

If you need to quickly chill a room-temperature bottle of wine, try one of these five methods.

1. 1. In an ice bath: Simply mix cold water and ice cubes in an ice bucket, and submerge the wine bottle for fifteen minutes. Some home cooks swear by salted ice baths because the salt can slightly lower the freezing point of water. If making saltwater seems like too much trouble, fear not; it only slightly speeds up the chilling process.
2. 2. In a plastic bag: Pour some of the wine into a plastic bag, thoroughly seal it, and then submerge that bag in your ice bath. This will let the wine cool somewhat faster because you have removed the insulating properties of the glass bottle. When the wine is sufficiently cold (usually in about five minutes), pour it into a decanter or back into the original glass bottle with the use of a funnel.
3. 3. In the freezer: Wrap your room-temperature bottle of wine in wet paper towels or dish towels, then place it in the freezer for fifteen minutes for slightly chilled wine. Set a timer so you remember to take the wine bottle out. Leaving the bottle in the freezer too long will cause the wine to expand and the glass to crack.
4. 4. With a wine chilling machine: Specially made chillers are known for cooling wine to the right temperature in as little as sixty seconds. Keep one on hand if you frequently find yourself needing to rapidly cool your wine.
5. 5. With whiskey stones: Whiskey stones are nonporous blocks that can chill your wine without diluting the flavor. You can also use frozen grapes or reusable plastic ice cubes for the same purpose.

Keep these tips in mind as you chill your wine and store leftover wine for later.

1. 1. Place the bottle back in the ice bucket after pouring the first glass. It will actually cool faster at this point since there's less liquid to resist the temperature change.
2. 2. Consume wine within a few days of opening it. Chilling wine will slow its oxidation process, but all wine is designed to be consumed within two to four days of opening. Old wine is safe to drink, but it will lose its distinctive flavors, become more acidic, and eventually turn to vinegar.
3. 3. Experiment with chilling red wine as well as white. Experiment with your red wine serving temperatures—particularly with a spicy shiraz or malbec—and you might be delightfully surprised.

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