How to Chill Wine Fast

It’s a warm summer day and, after an afternoon on the beach or working hard in the yard, all you want is a nice cold glass of wine while you relax in the shade. You open the fridge only to realize you forgot to chill the bottle … what now?

Don’t sweat it (especially if you’re already glistening from that afternoon in the sun!), we’ve got a few simple solutions for how to quickly chill wine and get you that refreshing glass of white as fast as possible!

The Fastest Way to Chill Wine

Thankfully, chilling wine quickly can be done with things you already have at home.

One super-fast way to chill a bottle of wine is to fill a bucket or tall pot about two-thirds full of ice. Tuck the bottle into the ice, making sure it’s fully immersed, and pour cold water over it to fill in the excess space between cubes. This will chill the bottle in about 15 minutes.

For even faster chilling, add a few handfuls of kosher salt to the ice before placing the bottle into it. If you add enough salt, it will lower the freezing point of the water and allow the ice water to get even colder than it would without the salt. We call that letting science do the work for you!

Once you pour a glass, keep the remainder of the bottle in the ice bath to keep it cold.

Serving the wine to friends or family and don’t want to ruin the label in the chilling process? A classic sommelier’s trick is to place the bottle in a plastic bag before putting it in the ice water bath.

How to Chill Wine in the Freezer

Yes, you can chill a bottle of wine in the freezer in about 45 minutes. But if you want to get that chilled glass even faster, wrap the bottle in a wet dish towel then place it in the freezer. Wait a minimum of 7 minutes and ideally closer to 20 minutes then unwrap, uncork, and get sipping!

This trick is perfect for the end of a hot day or when a friend brings over a bottle you want to drink together! Whether you don’t have a significant amount of ice on hand or prefer to keep things simple, we love this quick and easy way to chill wine in the freezer – fast.

What Wine Should You Chill?

We’re firm believers that wine preferences are personal, which is why we love to say that our best wine is the one you like best! So, if you want to drink your Chardonnay warm and your Pinot Grigio as cold as can be – you do you.

That said, there are ideal storing and serving temperatures for different wines, which are based on how the flavors are best maintained and presented. Generally speaking, red wines are best at their ideal storage temperature of 55 degrees while white wines are usually best when served at a cooler temperature: 45-50 degrees.

Browse our diverse selection of white wines or stop into the winery for a wine tasting and learn about wine temperatures from our knowledgeable and approachable staff.