Is it wrong?

At the risk of losing all credibility for taste... tonight I'm drinking a Spanish white that I got from Trader Joe's. Not being much of a white-drinker, I really like it pretty cold.

Here's the shocking part... I drink it packed with ice. As it melts, I add a touch more wine and maybe another ice cube... repeat.

I am well aware that it will be watered down by the ice as it melts, but that doesn't bother me all that much. It is a spicyish wine, inexpensive, but easy to drink. The fact that it is $5.99 at Trader Joe's makes it easy to keep the cabinet stocked. I want to know if anyone else does this. A great reason for a post. Does anyone else have their wine with ice. It's definitely taboo, I know, but if people drink spritzers, is it really all that bad? It's like a spritzer without bubbles. (I'm not actually sure people drink spritzers anymore, I'm speculating)

There are many other ways to do this, one of my favorites is to use frozen grapes (of course you'll get fewer dirty looks if you have company). But... when I get home from a long day, it's 115 deg outside, and I just want to chill... this is what I do. I like this wine and in the winter drink it without any ice, although I tend to "go red" as soon as the temp falls below 89 deg.

Do we have to take it all so seriously? I mentioned the idea for this post to a friend & immediately a knowing smile was returned: "I use frozen peaches!" ... Immediately I thought of sangria... So, today I have been testing this theory (please excuse any typos- I'll try to fix them tomorrow before I have any wine). They definitely added a sweetness as they thawed and you have the added benefit of eating the peach at the end (my favorite part)!- Thanks to Lucia for this one!

This topic also brings to mind a memory from my childhood. My parents weren't big white drinkers, either... My mom didn't drink much at all. They would go to Napa every summer and return with their favorites- always red. At some point sparkling wine came into the mix (I remember learning the laws involved with the word "champagne" at the Chandon tour we had one year- I think I was 11). My parents would often put a frozen strawberry in their champagne, us kids would get 7up in a flute with a frozen strawberry- we felt so fancy. Mind you, this was usually in August & there was a good chance we were on a boat (also- it was during the 80s, so please don't judge my parents) I'll be trying this soon!

So, what are the rules? Why do we have rules? It's similar to a cocktail or sangria, a refreshing drink to have the end of the day. Shouldn't it only matter if we enjoy it? On a hot afternoon (especially when I'm painting or writing) I tend to get carried away, not paying any attention to how much I'm drinking- the ice is the smartest choice for me! But, when I have company, I will continue to offer frozen grapes to "freshen the coolness" of the glass.

The wine: Marqués de Cáceres, 2010 Rioja

Please tell me what you think. I think this makes for a great conversation & look forward to hearing the discussion in the comment section. And please let me know what else you would like to discuss.