The head of the most prestigious champagne house once told me, “It’s better to add a cube of ice to a glass of champagne, if it’s not served cold enough, than to drink warm champagne.”
As someone who’s been served a glass of champagne at a less-than-ideal temperature, I have to agree.
When it comes to wine, things (or myths) get stuck in people’s heads; red wine with meat, white wine with fish, red wine with cheese, red wine with chocolate.
It’s argued that there are no absolutes or rules when it comes to drinking wine.
The only rule is to drink what you want.
Adding a handful of ice cubes to a glass of La Tâche or Château Y’quem probably isn’t the best way to experience those wines, since they weren’t made to be enjoyed being diluted.
But champagne makers are now making sparkling wines that are specifically made for that exact purpose: to be served on the rocks.
It was clear that due to the higher dosage (sugar), and grape blends, that this champagne is definitely better served on ice.
The flavor is much more dynamic, it’s a little sweeter, and lacks the subtleties of traditional champagne.
On its own, it’s rich.
I didn’t mind drinking this, although as we continued drinking the bottle, things got a little one-note.
I missed the nuances you taste in champagne, and I think in the future, I’ll just stick with standard champagne (or crémant), and maybe plunk an ice cube in it…if I feel like it.