This Is the Only Way I Drink Chilled Wine in Public

Wine is a fitting beverage for nearly any occasion and/or setting—weddings, dive bars, couches—but in the summer, I particularly enjoy drinking it outdoors and in public. Does that make me weird? Maybe. And maybe you too and weird, and enjoy a park-side splash of wine. I’m not a sommelier, but I know my summer drinking wine is best when chilled, dammit. And the best way to do that when you’re far away from a fridge is to use a double-walled, vacuum insulated bottle. 

Forget those squishy Koozies from 20 years ago. These are different times, and I can tell you from experience, nothing keeps cold drinks colder than one of those sleek stainless steel bottles. I definitely don’t think I’m being weird this time, either, given the number of vacuum insulated bottles available in 750mL sizes. Yes, exactly the size of a standard bottle of wine. 

My favorite insulated bottles for keeping wine chilled outdoors

Why drinking in public is better with a vacuum insulated bottle

They’re discreet. I am not ashamed of my wine sipping, but I like to adhere to the polite customs of public drinking even as I attempt to skirt the law, and pouring an entire bottle of wine into an opaque bottle provides just the amount of discretion you need. Plus, it totally counts as decanting it, and decanting can be a good way to aerate some wines. 

No glass necessary. Accidentally breaking a glass bottle is something that can happen to even the most responsible and upstanding public wine drinkers. Broken glass is one of the biggest worries with bringing bottled beverages to parks, lakes, and on hikes. Stainless steel bottles are not only safer for the other folks and animals in the environment, but safer for your wine. If you drop it down a rocky trail, the bottle may dent, but it’s very unlikely to break.  

They’re reusable. Speaking of not breaking, these bottles are very resilient. Stainless steel is easy to clean and doesn’t hold onto odors, so you can wash them out and fill them with many different wines for years to come. While they might seem pricey at first, consider that you probably won’t need to buy another one for a good long while; I still use the Kleen Kanteens I bought 12 years ago. (They’re great as non-alcoholic beverage travel mugs too.)

You wine will be colder. And that’s the point. isn’t it? It’s summer. The weather is hot, and the only respite is a cool and boozy beverage. This type of bottle is designed with a barrier between the two outer walls (hence, the “double-walled” descriptor). That space is vacuum-sealed, so even though air is a bad conductor, there’s not even air in there to allow heat to transfer into your drink. This design is so effective, I’ve had wine stay fridge-cold for up to eight hours. Even after eight hours of opening and closing the bottle numerous times, the remaining wine inside was still cool if not cold.

Drinking wine outdoors on a summer day is an easier and better experience with a double-walled vacuum insulated bottle. Instead of walking around with a cumbersome cooler weighed down with ice, just pour your fridge-cold wine into one of these wine-sized bottles. They’re basically handheld fridges for your wine. Don’t forget to invite some friends so they can bring the snacks. Welcome to the future.