After weeks of seeing red wine poured over vanilla ice cream on social media, I finally tried the viral dessert trend for myself.
Wine has been a important part of my life, both personally and professionally, for years. It has shaped how I cook, how I entertain, how I travel and how I unwind at the end of the day. But it wasn’t until last week that I tasted the most elegant, low-effort wine-based dessert—and it had been right under my nose the whole time.
Although the pairing isn’t exactly a new idea, the red wine and ice cream trend that’s been circulating on social media for weeks finally prompted me to give it a proper, intentional try. I went in curious, mildly skeptical (my track record with viral food trends is mixed at best) and fully prepared to simply enjoy the experiment. Instead, I found myself genuinely taken by it. Not shocked, exactly, but completely won over.
What is the red wine and ice cream trend?
The dessert is exactly what it sounds like: a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream topped with a pour of red wine. No shaking, no layering, no juggling a plethora of complicated ingredients or fancy cocktail accessories. Just cold, creamy vanilla ice cream and red wine meeting in the same glass. It feels a little rebellious at first glance, but that’s its charm—and undoubtedly it’s also the reason for its recent surge in popularity.
Does the combination actually taste good?
From a flavor perspective, the pairing is unexpectedly elegant. Vanilla ice cream tames tannins, rounds acidity and amplifies fruit in a way that’s almost corrective. A red that might otherwise taste sharp or dry suddenly turns lush and velvety when it hits cool ice cream. At the same time, the wine keeps the ice cream from tipping into cloying territory, creating balance instead of sugar overload.
For my test run, I used a 2021 Unanime Malbec, which was a near-perfect partner for the vanilla bean ice cream I had in my freezer. Malbec is naturally plush and fruit-driven—think blackberry, dark cherry and a little cocoa—so when it met the cold cream, those flavors leaned even more dessert-like. The tannins were soft enough not to clash with the dairy, and the subtle chocolate notes sang in the pairing where they might not have otherwise. The cold temperature also gently muted the alcohol, leaving behind the fruit and spice in the most flattering way. In other words, the wine didn’t just tolerate the ice cream, it melted into it.
Would I make red wine and ice cream again?
Yes. In fact, I already have. I didn’t set out to create a new staple in my culinary repertoire, but here we are.
What impressed me most was that the combo worked so beautifully. Instead of a social media stunt, a novelty or internet theater, I was surprised to be tasting something that felt thoughtfully composed and far more special than something this simple should feel.
Red wine over vanilla ice cream is a small luxury, hiding in plain sight. The kind you make when the kitchen is clean, the house is finally quiet, and the bottle of red is already open.
Related:
