To Drink Like the French, Serve Your Rosé Over Ice

Lightly pink, the glass wrapped in a chilled, slightly slippery fog, a Rosé Piscine is one of Provençal summer’s greatest pleasures. In French, the word piscine refers to both "swimming pool" and "wine elongated with ice".

The latter is as reviving as a dip in cooling water, so much so that when I’m not in le sud, I like to make a metaphorical nod to the place and wave my piscine toward southern France. I’m sure the locals approve. And the drink is simple to build: just combine ice and wine. Here's everything you need to know to make Rosé Piscines all summer long.

Start with good wine

Any rosé that is dry yet aromatic and barely pink to magenta or nearly purple in hue will build a refreshing piscine. Crisp whites, bubbly pét-nats or sparkling rosés, even light skin contact wines are also fair game. And while I’ve yet to see a rouge piscine firsthand, I’m certain that at some point someone on the French Riviera has dropped a few fresh cubes into a glou-glou style red and been happy with their choice.

Should you set out a few bottles at a party, people choosing to or not to fashion a Piscine can, and should, enjoy the same wine. If you have a Champagne budget and the fever of day demands it, channel your inner Brigitte Bardot circa 1950’s Saint-Tropez and Piscine the day away. 

Use fresh ice

Just as ice gradually transforms a cocktail, it chills and slowly dilutes wine as it sets in the glass.  With that in mind, use fresh cubes.  Ice which has yet to take on the frost and aroma of other things in your freezer will positively affect the temperature of the wine without adding unwanted flavors.

Speaking of cold things, be sure to properly chill the bottle of wine you’re planning to use. Yes, I know the fundamental tenet of building a Piscine means you are adding ice to it, but the aim of the Piscine is not for the ice to initially chill down the wine in your glass, it’s to maintain its chill for as long as possible. Starting with a cold bottle allows you to enjoy a Piscine longer before it succumbs to the heat of the day.

Pick a stemless wine glass

Once you have your wine and your ice, you'll need a vessel to enjoy it from. A Piscine can be made in any glass, really, though larger, more bulbous glassware is most commonly seen in the south of France — think those made for wine or Cognac. While a stem feels elegant, I often opt for the stability of a tumbler depending on the location of the Piscine-ing.

Wherever in the world you partake in a Piscine, a glass full of wine and ice offers a direct line to a Provençal summer.