How to Chill Wine Fast, According to Winemakers

Getting the temperature just right is key to enjoying a nice, cold glass of wine at its most delicious. If you've forgotten to chill that bottle of white for dinner, or you're scrambling to serve a bottle of bubbles provided by a party guest, there's no need to stress! There are easy ways to bring it to the optimal temperature. From classic techniques to more inventive methods, here's everything you need to know about the wine-chilling process—and how to chill wine quickly and efficiently, according to the pros.

The Gold Standard: Ice-Water Baths

The most efficient way to chill wine is an ice-water bath. Using equal parts ice and cold water creates an environment that's far more effective than ice alone. The freezing temperature of water allows the wine to cool evenly, and the method works wonders whether you're chilling a bottle of champagne, sauvignon blanc, or pinot grigio. It lowers the temperature of wine quickly.

How to Chill Wine in an Ice Water Bath

For best results, use equal amounts of ice and cold water and ensure the bottle is fully submerged to prevent uneven chilling. You can also wrap a flexible ice pack around the bottle until you're ready to serve. The key is to cover as much surface area as possible, says Zach Richardson, winemaker at 14 Hands. Also, don't forget to chill the glass, to,o says Susan-Anne Cosgrove, vice president of marketing and public relations for Evaton Wines.

The Fastest Way to Chill: Salt Water and Ice

To turbo-charge your chilling efforts, try this pro tip: add salt!

"To chill wine quickly, the easiest thing to do is place the bottle in a bucket of salt water and ice," says Richardson. "The salt will lower the freezing point of the water, which will chill the wine faster." Patrick d'Aulan, owner of Alta Vista Winery, agrees and recommends the salt water and ice technique for sparkling wines saying "A mix of ice, water, and salt can chill a bottle of bubbles in just 15 minutes."

The Best Alternative: The Wet Towel-Freezer Method

When an ice bath isn't an option, a quick solution is to wrap a bottle of wine in a wet dish towel or damp towel and place it in the freezer. The towel's additional surface area helps the bottle cool faster than putting it directly in the freezer.

While this freezer method can chill a warm bottle of wine to cooler temperatures in about 30 minutes, it's best to use it for short-term chilling. Leaving the bottle too long risks forgetting about it—and that can result in the wine exploding out of the bottle while pushing out the cork or, worst case scenario, a broken glass bottle.

Emergency Hacks for Chilling Wine

Sometimes, you don't have the time—or ice—for a complete ice water bath. That's when these creative alternatives can save the day:

• Chilling Rods: These are great for inserting into your bottle of wine to chill it from the inside out and keep your bottle at the perfect temperature without diluting it.
• Chilling Spheres: these are stored in the freezer and can be put into each glass to chill without watering down the wine like you might experience with ice cubes.
• Chill by the Glass: because a single serving will chill faster than a bottle, try pouring room-temperature wine into a thin-walled glass and placing it in the freezer for a few minutes to chill a single serving.
  

What to Never Do to Chill Wine

While there are easy ways to chill wine, not every method is ideal.

Don't add ice to the wine: Avoid adding ice cubes directly to your wine glass unless you're okay with watered-down wine. Instead, use reusable chilling spheres or pre-chilled grapes, which keep the wine cool without over-diluting it.

Don't over chill the wine: Avoid chilling wine to excessively lower temperatures. Over-chilling can mute the aromas and flavors of sparkling wines, dry white wines, and light chillable reds like pinot noir.