Kamala Harris' Favorite Way To Drink Wine Is A Little Controversial

Few moves can stir up opinionated netizens of the food and drink world quite like adding ice to glasses of wine. Vice President Kamala Harris has been spotted at restaurants in Washington, D.C., and her preferences of ordering ice along with white wine have been noted by servers. Martha Stewart once defended the cold move to Stephen Colbert, justifying plopping a cold block of ice into servings of white wine or rosé, and even taking to Instagram to demonstrate the ease of adding ice to glasses of chardonnay. To ice or not to ice is a contested move, and connoisseurs around the world have advocated for both approaches. 

Certain pseudo-sommeliers may frown upon adding chunks of ice to wine, particularly if you're at an occasion where a blend needs to be fully appreciated and savored. Though many oenophiles assert that ice has no place near a wine glass, others reason that there are plenty of instances in which you may, indeed, want to drop an ice cube or two into your glass. Whether you find yourself with a glass of white that isn't quite as chilled as you'd like it to be or if you simply want to delay the effects of alcohol until later in the day, the inclusion of ice into your glass is a matter of personal preference.

Across Europe, ice is dropped into wine to make cocktails and spritzes, and it is certainly not frowned upon. Start by adding a single cube to a crisp white or fruity red, and unless you like the taste of tannins, keep ice cubes away from richer, oaky wines. Should you want to chill a glass of a luscious red or sweet wine without putting your vintage label at risk of dilution, you can reach for a whiskey stone, instead.

At social events, you may not have the luxury of time to ask for a bottle of wine to be chilled before you begin sipping. Dropping an ice cube into a wine glass is a convenient and easy move to adjust temperature. Though the addition will dilute a blend, the move can be a strategic one and serve as a kind of self-preservation so that effects of alcohol aren't as likely to come on strong midway through a fancy brunch with the in-laws or at a table of politicians. Like Harris, you can ask for a cup of ice to discreetly add to your drink as you deem necessary.