Putting Reds on Ice

Following the refrain of "It's hot outside and we want red wine in the summertime," NY Times Wine Editor and sometimes blogger Eric Asimov chimed in this week about the merits of breaking taboos and chilling red wine. I'll be the first to admit it, I've seen a few of my rural-dwelling friends and family members drinking a cheap glass of red with an ice cube in it - and I've met them with an appropriately snotty scoff. This is considered "low class," ruining the integrity of a red wine - but Asimov discusses the subject from a different angle - chilling the wine appropriately, doing it with the right varieties and ultimately - doing it right.

Drinking red wine chilled can be the perfect solution to someone trying to satiate a complicated palate and refresh themselves in the same instant. Over at Asimov's wine blog, The Pour - he goes on a two page tear explaining the finer points of how to choose the right red to chill in the heat. He opts for a lighter, more graceful Zinfandel, or even a lighter-bodied Pinot Noir. It's a must-read piece for the oenophile in the summertime, and a perfect companion for the old fashioned American grill outs so popular this time of year.