Yeah, still on my weather/climate change rag. Just three weeks — three weeks! — ago I was talking about how I was using my fireplace. And I also said I would never complain about heat in April or May again.
In the words of Zoe Bell, “Yes. I said that. However…”
There’s a heat advisory for my area in effect Saturday until 10pm, with heat index values up to 100 expected!
And of course I have a supper club scheduled for Saturday evening. The theme is basically anything iced, chilled, or otherwise not hot.
Obviously keeping me, Johnny, and my guests comfortable is top priority, but what do you do with your wine in this case?
I’m looking forward to trying my new Hydro Flask 25 ounce wine bottle. It’s big enough to hold a full size standard bottle of wine, and the vacuum seal will keep everything cool without condensation dripping everywhere. And of course any vacuum bottle of that size will work in a pinch. Just do remember to wash it out well afterwards so as not to cross flavors.
I’m also a big fan of my wine cooler sleeves. Mine are labeled from a wine club I used to belong to, but there are tons of kinds and styles. They’re great for keeping wine at the temp you want, and also bringing down room temperature reds to a more drinkable level.
Last and probably least of these methods are my old Corkcicle devices I bought a while back, which don’t seem to be in stock anymore on their website. They are comically phallic and do a good job of cooling the wine. But you have to take the whole thing out to pour, which can make a mess on the table. Also many, many phallic jokes. This may be a plus or a minus depending on your social agenda.
You’ll notice I don’t espouse the ice bucket idea. It makes the wine actually too cold. Even the lightest whites are recommended to be served between 44 and 50°F/7 to 10°C, and sparklings as low as 42°F/6°C. An ice bucket will bring the temps down to near freezing, which is absolutely no good for the flavor or texture. But at least with too cold wine, it’s easy enough to fix. Just swirl it in your glass for a while and cup your hands around it.
As for what to drink? I’ll be sticking to mostly whites and rosés as it gets steamier. There’s a whole world of whites you can dip into, from albariño to zefir. I’ll serve some this weekend and let you know what were the best pairings!
Stay cool, and remember alcohol is a diuretic (damn), so make sure you’re drinking plenty of water before, during, and after sipping.