Have your wine and eat it too: Wine ice cream is all the buzz

If getting drunk and fat simultaneously sounds like your perfect night of gluttony, you might want to bring your ID the next time you buy ice cream south of the border.

Alcoholic ice cream is now a reality.

In fact, it's been a reality for a while now. Mercer's Wine Ice Cream first became available in 2006. This holiday season, however, the product is getting a lot of "buzz" from food bloggers and ice cream lovers, making the rest of us crave (or question) the 5 per cent alcohol dessert.

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Mercer's Wine Ice Cream is reserved for the over-21 set — it's currently only available in the States, and can only be purchased by those of legal drinking age.

"We are proud to be the pioneer in the ice cream industry bringing you this exciting creation. Our wine ice cream is not a "flavoured" product, it contains real ice cream and real wine, with up to 5% alcohol. Each wine is hand-picked and blended with only the freshest ingredients," says James R. Derway, Mercer's ice cream maker.

With one serving being just one half cup, it won't be hard to overindulge. Don't eat ice cream and drive.

The following flavours are currently available: Cherry Merlot, Chocolate Cabernet, Peach White Zinfandel, Port, Red Raspberry Chardonnay and Riesling.

Cherry Merlot sundae, anyone?

While many object to such a sugary violation of their wine, reviews of the product are surprisingly positive.

"I just wanted to write you and tell you how amazing your product is! The flavor in the Chocolate Cabernet was so rich and flavorful I didn't want to put it down! I can't wait to try your other varieties," Kelly, a satisfied customer, writes to Mercer's.

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Experts like it too.

Mercer's official site boasts that its wine ice cream was recently awarded "Best New Product" at the Great American Dessert Expo and received the prestigious American Masters of Taste award from Napa Valley.

Some still aren't convinced that the product's a good idea.

"If you can't get fat and drunk fast enough, I've got just the thing to aid your journey! Wine ice cream is five-percent alcohol and one-hundred-percent delicious," Jezebel's Laura Beck writes.

The dessert invention sounds like a Bridget Jones-esque response to a breakup. Instead of downing a bottle of wine after spending the night with Ben & Jerry, Americans can indulge in both at the same time.

For those of us without access to the buzz-friendly ice cream, here's a guide to pairing wine with ice cream. The Kitchn also has some pairing advice.

Would you try wine ice cream? Or do you prefer to keep your vices separate?