The hard facts about whether you can put ice in wine.

On a hot day, most people I know pull out ice cubes to chill their wine. Most of them do it with a comment on the spiritual or an apology. But in this age where prime ministers wear sneakers to work, it seems to me that worrying about etiquette when drinking wine is completely unnecessary.

Recently, two-Michelin-starred American restaurant chef David Chang admitted on his podcast that when he throws ice into his wine, it "shakes gold" but he still feels like he's doing "something terribly wrong". Meanwhile, Blur bassist turned farmer Alex James has ignited debate by launching a new sparkling wine called Britpop which''Restaurants' attitude to using ice in wine is more permissive. "I'm absolutely in favor of people wanting to put ice in their wine," says Donald Edwards, head sommelier at Michelin-starred restaurant La Trompette. Meanwhile, Mike Boyne of BinTwo wine store and bar in Padstow even forbids raising an eyebrow if someone asks for ice in their wine.

But wait! You may be wondering why raising an eyebrow should be banned...

No, I'm not saying that wine experts don't have an opinion.

I have discussed this topic with a lot of''Is it better when you can't taste the wine? The colder the food or drink, the less you can taste it. Every kid knows this when making ice cream with fruit syrups or Ribena: you need to make the mixture much stronger for ice cream than if you drink it with cold tap water.

Or perhaps James's wine is very sweet? A few years ago, Moet & Chandon released a champagne called Moet Ice, which was designed to be consumed with ice. It was delicious, breezy fun on a hot day, but it was also very sweet, containing about 45 grams of sugar per liter (brut has less than 12 grams of sugar per liter). The wine didn't seem as sweet when it was very cold, so the experience was different from when you drink it plain''£14.99 (31.14 NZD) when buying six bottles.
Juicy and generous, it first creates a sense of roundness, then delights with bright acidic stone fruit and pungent red currant flavors.

Filos Estate Greek Chardonnay 2022, Greece

13 percent; Aldi, £8.99 (£18.68 NZD).
This beauty is more reminiscent of Greece than chardonnay - with grapefruit and refreshing flavors. Perfect for a warm summer's day.