4 Wine 'Rules' An Expert Always Ignores

I’ll be honest; I don’t know much about wine, partly because I feel intimidated by all its so-called rules.

No ice in white wine, I’m told. No mixing. Read (and understand) the label properly. 

I feel ashamed; I love Kalimotxo (red wine and cola), and one of my favourite vinos is Barefoot Pink Muscato. I always feel I’m “messing up” drinking it.

So, I reached out to Lauren Denyer, a WSET School London wine educator, about the guidelines experts themselves break – not least to make myself feel better. 

I was heartened by her introductory comment.

“There is a certain amount of pretension that can come with wine, which can be very off-putting and often incorrect,” she tells me.

1) Ice in wine is fine! 

Though the addition is often considered a “no-no,” Denyer calls it a “win-win.”

“On a cold summer’s day, an ice-cold beverage is very desirable, and there is no harm in making your wine extra cool by adding an ice cube or two; it will also bring down the alcohol level and make it last longer!” she advises. 

“This is standard practice in the coastal, more rural towns of Provence, where the locals just want a cold, refreshing drink. Oh, and if you forget to chill your wine, it’s a quick fix.” 

2) Yes, wine can be a mixer

My cola and red wine combo might not be as cursed as I’ve been led to believe – in fact, without me even mentioning it, the expert says she thinks the concoction could be the next big trend, ”as people realise how fun and drinkable it is.” 

“There’s also nothing wrong with wine used as a mixer or a cocktail ingredient. Think Sangria and Mimosas, but why stop there?” Denyer continues. 

“Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, reportedly loves to add a bit of ‘fruity slop’ to even the finest Champagne. Champagne is a great mixer, albeit a pricy one.”

3) You don’t need a million shapes and sizes of wine glasses

There are so many different glasses designed for different types of wine, but Denyer doesn’t think most of us need to own all of them. 

“You can use one type of glass for your wine... A standard white wine glass does the job really well,” she shares. 

“Red, rosé, white, sparkling and fortified wines all taste great in it, no one needs multiple styles and sizes of wine glass. When you visit regions like Champagne or Port, you will see that they also use that size and shape of glass too.” 

4) Cook with good wine if you like 

You might be tempted to save your best bottle for drinking, but if you’re not feeling that fancy wine or it’s lost its fizz, cook away. 

“The higher-quality the wine, the richer the flavours it’ll bring to your dish,” Denyer says. 

Additionally, she doesn’t subscribe to food and wine pairing “rules” – “anything goes if you like it. White wine and cheese are great together, in fact often a better pairing than red wine,” she writes. 

“Junk food and wine is fabulous, fried chicken and Champagne, fish and chips with British sparkling wines, and hot dogs and Beaujolais. At WSET School London, Wotsits are a popular snack to have with wine.” 

Essentially, the wine expert tells us, “Do what you want with wine, it’s there to be enjoyed, whether by itself, as an ingredient, in a can or used as an ingredient as part of a meal.”