The fastest way to chill a bottle of wine

The Oh-Shi* Situation--plum

We’ve all been there. You’re hosting a BBQ and are in the midst of preparing salads, throwing the cheese board together, making sure the table’s in order, the lawn mowed, and then the first guests arrive... Oh no, the wine! Ok.. Ok.. Yes, it was my job to put the wine in the fridge, and I could have done it last night, but I lost track of time!

Chucking it in the freezer is going to take at least 25 minutes, and that’s at least 20 minutes too long. But don’t fret... there's a way to chill a bottle of wine in less than 5 minutes.

Here's the Solution:--racy

A bit of science paired with one common ingredient found in almost every pantry is all you need! And you’ll have your bottle chilled to perfection in less than 5 minutes. Phew!

All you need is:

- A bucket that can fit a bottle of wine
- 2 or more cups of ice
- cold water
- 1/4 a cup of salt (but the more the merrier)

Once you've got those in order, here's what to do:

1. Grab the nearest bucket and place the bottle that should have been in the fridge into the bucket.

2. Steal some of the ice you have ready for the esky and put a few handfuls into the bucket.

3. Top the bucket with cold water until the bottle is mostly submerged.

4. The most important step is to get a proper Jamie Oliver amount of salt and with a bit of flare, drop the salt into the bucket. Salt you ask? We’ll get to that later on.

5. Take the neck of the bottle of wine and spin the bottle in your hand to keep the water circulating. Imagine that you are a contestant on Masterchef and you are whisking an egg as if your life depended on it.

6. Give it at least 5 minutes of spinning and the wine will be chilled to perfection.

Why it works--earth

Salt lowers the freezing point of water which has the double-pronged effect of melting the ice faster, which cools your water faster, whilst allowing the water to cool to below zero degrees, which cools your water more. The upshot is a colder bottle, faster! Precisely why you should never be salty towards salt.

The spinning of the bottle while in the water uses the same principle as keeping your hand under running water when you burn it. You are continually replacing the warmed-up water near the bottle with the coldest possible water. See wine lovers, ‘spin the bottle’ isn’t just for teenagers.

About the Author

James Boden is a certified sommelier that feels most comfortable in the heat of service when the pace is quickest. A background in track & field and a passion for history and the stories behind the wines provides him with a different approach to wine and all its facets.