At the end of the day, you’re going to drink your Chardonnay how you want. You paid for it. It’s on your couch. The wine police (aka Chad) aren’t in your living room.
Chardonnay: The Essential Guide | The Table by Harry & David
But if you’re a serial over-chiller like I was, I encourage you to try a little experiment. Pour a glass. Wait. Smell it while you wait. Notice the change.
The first time I did it, I actually smelled something other than “cold alcohol.” I smelled butterscotch. A single, shy butterscotch note, hiding behind the chill.
We spend a lot of time rushing. We rush through work, through traffic, through our dinner. Why rush the wine? Let it take its jacket off.
So, do you drink Chardonnay cold? Yeah, probably. But you don’t have to. You can drink it right.
And “right” is just a fancy word for “room temperature-ish, but with permission to be a little cooler than your grandpa’s port.” It’s a Goldilocks situation, not a science project.
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If you forget to take it out? Don’t panic. Pour it anyway. Then just hold the glass in your hands for a minute. Your body heat is the world’s best wine warmer.
Or, do what my aunt Linda does. She sticks the bottle in the fridge, then immediately takes it out and pours a glass. She never even closes the fridge door. She lives life on the edge.
The point is: don’t be a slave to the temperature. Be its friend. The wine will thank you by tasting like more than just cold.
Now, go pour yourself a glass. But maybe wait a few minutes before you drink it. I promise your taste buds will throw you a little party.
