Winemaker David Lowe believes ice cubes make some wines taste better if the grape variety is right, and it can dilute the alcohol content.

Lowe said, “I was looking at the early harvest of grapes to get alcohol levels down from about eight per cent to about six per cent. The challenge was that alcohol comes from sugar and sugar holds grape flavour. This means that wines that are light in alcohol are also light in flavour.”

After much time and energy spent researching, a friend of Lowe said, “You know, in Italy we just stick an ice cube in it.”

And so Lowe stopped the research and started adding ice to his wine.

“After much experimentation, I have found two varieties that are not diminished when I put an ice cube or two in the glass,” he says.

“The Italian characteristic gives a slight salty or briny sensation, which prevents the ice from detracting from the wine’s flavour,” Lowe says. “The same can be said for rosé made with Italian red varietals such as primitivo (zinfandel).”

So apparently it’s a thing. And in other wine regions around the world too, such as Argentina where they speed up the dilution process by just adding soda water. 

Lloyd Brothers winemaker Gonzalo Sanchez says, “Every time I go home to Argentina, the first thing I do is get a glass of wine and put soda in it,” he says. “Six out of 10 people in Argentina prefer to drink wine with soda water. It makes so much sense because it means it’s much lower alcohol at a lower price.”

All sounds terribly sensible, I hate it. 

But with our warm weather and beach and barbecue rich culture, the demand for a beverage that’s lighter and fresher is very high indeed and experts say we should embrace the experimental process. 

Sanchez added, There are so many options and so many grapes here – don’t be afraid to experiment. It’s important to remind people that wine can be simple and refreshing. Grab a bottle of wine, a big glass of ice, and a bottle of soda water and make your own blend.”