decanter with red wine in the hand of a sommelier in São Paulo, State of São Paulo, Brazil
Food - Drink
The Controversial Way Alton Brown Drinks Red Wine
By MEGGAN ROBINSON
It’s pretty easy to ruffle a wine snob’s feathers, but Alton Brown won’t let stuffy wine etiquette stand in the way of enjoying a glass of wine the way he likes it. The celebrity chef and “Good Eats” host is known for his quirky take on classic foods, and the way he drinks wine is no different.
The temperature at which wine is served is often debated, and aficionados will go berserk if white wine is served too cold or red wine too warm. Alton Brown has a different take on the matter; he prefers his red wine “just a little bit cooler than room temp,” and will add a small ice cube to his glass.
Wine lovers typically decry the practice of adding ice to wine because it waters down the flavors and aromas. However, Master of Wine, Peter Richards, is more flexible and advises “…do whatever you want with your wine as long as it makes you happy!” Nevertheless, he notes that adding a few frozen grapes will cool wine without watering it down.