I always forget to grab a bottle of white or sparkling from the cellar until a few minutes before dinner. Yes, I know not all wines need to be super cold, but many should be colder than the 55-57 deg my cellar is at. I’ve been thinking about getting on of those single bottle wine chillers.
I’ve found the Velcro ones to be way better than the ones you can’t adjust the size on. The latter typically won’t open wide enough for sparkling wine bottles or other larger sized bottles. Whereas the Velcro ones do.
I think the bottle wrap is winning. I live in the city, and small kitchens don’t have them big fancy refridgdertaters with new-fangled magic ice making buckets in 'em.
The problem with the vacu vin style recommended earlier is that they wear out easily. I had several of them and on each one the plastic rips down the seams. A couple years ago I discovered Le Cruset makes one that compared to everything else is much more heavy duty. It’s double the price, but it’s well worth it because you simply can’t break it. I now own two of them.
In a pinch (or you don’t want to haul out a bucket, get a bunch of ice, salt, etc), try this:
Get a large enough paper towel that will wrap around the bottle completely.
Wrap around bottle, then completely wet it with cold water so it sticks to the glass.
Put in your freezer.
Wait 10 to 15 minutes (depending on if your freezer motor cranks up, or not).
The principle behind this is the same as if you were outside in cold temperatures, then someone were to douse you with water. You’d become much colder more quickly when your clothes are wet compared to if your clothes were dry.
This hack works REALLY well with beer bottles in the 12oz to 16.9oz size.
I usually just put it in the freezer for a little bit. Maybe it takes 5-10 minutes longer that way; if I’m in a hurry, I use an ice bucket (hadn’t tried the salt though).
Fridge or freezer is not choice for cooling a wine bottle. The temp varies in the fridge as compressor starting and stopping all the time. The best way is to use a rapid wine chiller.
Fridge or freezer is not choice for cooling a wine bottle. The temp varies in the fridge as compressor starting and stopping all the time.
Which is completely irrelevant. Esp if you put into the freezer, you’re only leaving it in for 15 minutes or so. I do it pretty much every night. Fridge is OK as well - the compressor starting and stopping isn’t going to make any difference whatsoever. And the variance in the temp isn’t going to matter either unless you stand there with the door open for 40 minutes. But most people don’t do that.
Next best are those sleeves that people have mentioned. Ten - fifteen minutes and your wine is well-chilled.
For me anyway, the idea of buying a single-use appliance is never a good one.
Buy a couple of these and keep in the freezer and you’re good.