Don’t overlook the reds as the weather heats up. From choosing the right wine to the ideal serving temp, we’ve got the basics covered.
When summer rolls in, some things naturally get put on hold. Winter sports head into hibernation (a good thing for those of us who’d rather forget the season gone by), that favourite pub with a fireplace gets passed up for shady beer gardens, and those big coats and jackets? Hit the bricks, guys, we’re giving these shoulders some air. But if you think the impending heat means we’re going six months without red wine, well, think again.
Turns out, warm weather is just as suited to red wine as the dreary depths of winter – you just have to cool it down a little. Chilled reds can be fresh, zippy, exciting and every bit as summer-worthy as their white counterparts. It might seem counter-intuitive – like microwaving a bowl of ice cream – but with the right wine, the right temperature and an open mind, chilled reds should be your summer staple. Okay, let’s chill.
You’ve heard us say it before but, to get the most out of a chilled red wine, it bears revisiting a few basics.
The first place to start is picking the right style. By ‘style’, we mean the whole package – the grape variety (pinot noir or shiraz, for example), the way it’s made (high in alcohol with lots of oak, or light and racy) and its flavours (it could be dark and savoury, bright and fruity or anywhere in between).
It’s not an exact science, but the red wines that work best when chilled tend to be lower in alcohol (below 12 or 13% ABV), lower in tannin, higher in acidity and full of fruit flavours. Big, rich reds like your traditional Barossa shiraz can lose a bit when chilled, as the tannin drops off and those rich flavours are muted. Bright, zippy reds with high acidity and plenty of fruit, on the other hand, can come out like fancy fruit juice – refreshing, moreish and still packed with flavour.
Skip ahead to find out what we’ll be drinking this summer but, in general, if you stick to lighter red wines like pinot noir, Beaujolais (that’s the grape known as gamay, BTW) and grenache, you’ll be setting yourself up for chilled-red success.
There’s no exact rule about how cold to serve a chilled red – you’ll soon find out for yourself what feels right. Keep in mind, though, that the colder a wine gets, the less flavour comes through, so it means finding a sweet spot between refreshment and flavour.
If you want a number (and have a thermometer), shoot for 12°C as a starting point. Otherwise, an hour in the fridge should get you in the ballpark. It’s cool, but not cold, meaning the wine will retain plenty of flavour while still offering some respite from the heat outside.
The lightest reds (like the barely-there Beaujolais nouveau) can be nearly indistinguishable from rosé, and we know those love the cold, so it’s definitely okay to take things further. In these cases, it’s totally fine to keep an ice bucket on the table or (whisper it) plonk a few ice cubes in.
We got you, guys. Here’s your cheat sheet for the chilled-red season:
- Style: Light and young, with low tannin, high acidity and plenty of fruit flavour. Grenache, pinot noir, gamay and tempranillo are great places to start.
- Temperature: Nothing too cold but still chilled – 12°C is great, but some styles can go further, so feel free to experiment.
- How to chill: Pop your bottle in the fridge an hour or two before serving to get it to about the right temp. But hey, an ice bucket or an ice cube can do, too.
- Serving: Chilled reds don’t demand fancy stemware, so tumblers are fine (and pretty popular in Europe, too) for those casual barbecues.
You’d be surprised how easily some of our favourite light winter reds translate into chilled summer staples, but not everyone has a mental back-catalogue like the Dan’s Daily crew. As a starting point, then, might we suggest a crisp glass of the following wines.
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2. Allevio Naturally Lighter Pinot Noir
Remember what we were saying about lighter alcohol liking the cold? This pinot is low in alcohol for a red wine – at 9.5% ABV – which bodes very well for a good chill. With a flavour profile packed with notes of juicy cherries and red berries, plus a really subtle sweetness, this is one that’ll be happy to spend time on ice. Pair with a cheeseboard in the shade and you’ll be laughing.
If you’ve been paying attention to the teacher, you’ll know this is a serious candidate for the cold. Low alcohol? Check. Low tannin? Check. Light-bodied? That’s a check. Slinky Bare’s latest Pinot Noir is super light and bright, packed with cherry flavours and rounded off with a gentle acidity. One to serve in tumblers while playing barefoot backyard games, we say.
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4. Chaffey Bros Not Your Grandma's Chillable Red
If you were looking for a fool-proof sign, well, it says ‘chillable red’ in the name. Barossa grenache is known for being plush and fruity (some are like raspberry jam spread on velvet), but this version from Chaffey Bros keeps things a little cleaner. It’s crisp, crunchy, a little spicy and light without being a pushover. Don’t go too cold here – try an hour in the fridge and you’ll be just about there.
5. Rescued Grenache Citrus Spritz
If you’ve ever had sangria, you’ll know that chilled red wine, plus fruit, equals summer. It’s simple maths. If you like your drinks ready to go, try Rescued’s Grenache Citrus Spritz. Here, lightly spritzy grenache (one of our favourite varietals for chilling) gets infused with zesty lemon and orange peel. The natural strawberry and raspberry flavours in the grenache really dial up the flavour and let everything sing through the cold. This is a good introduction to the adaptability of chilled red wine, too, if you’re thinking of mixing up your own creations.
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