Dear Whinechick… Wine served too cold?

Dear Whinechick,

Whenever we invite certain friends over for wine night, they always throw  a couple of ice cubes into their wine,  whether its white or red.  I’m not even serving sweet stuff that should be chilled; its dry, elegant and pricey wine!  Am I wasting my money on them?

On the menu: KJ Cabernet Wine Slurpee!

Do your friends like drinking flavorless, odorless wine that is freezing cold?  Let me guess, the first place they visit at the state fair is the wine slushie tent?  Sometimes I think that’s the only reason people go to the state fair, seeing how you can’t walk into the corner 7-11 convenience store and get one.  Oh wait, with the new wine bill they’re trying to introduce into the budget, that dream may become a reality…

Short of purchasing a slushie machine to keep on hand for your wine nights, you basically have three choices here.  1.) You could stop serving them the good stuff of yours and buy them a cheap bottle from the $3.99 bin (because trust me, after several ice cubes have had their way with that wine, anything is bound to taste better!)  Seriously, cold temperatures mask the flavors and aromas of wine.  Leave a cold glass of chardonnay out on a table  and taste it when its warmed up if you don’t believe me.  2.)  You could say its a BYOB night and then they just bring their own stuff.  You seriously won’t care anymore if they dump an entire ice cube tray into their glass.  Maybe you could even ask them if they would like a pitcher with ice to pour their wine into.  3.)  You could stop caring what they do with their wine and learn that their company and friendship is more important than how they drink your wine.

I used to constantly berate a family member of mine until I finally realized I was wasting my time and that it was more important that they just enjoy drinking it! ((Love you Dad!))