So Red-freshing: 8 Red Wines Best Served Chilled

Summertime is all about sipping on cool beverages. That’s great news for white wine and rosé lovers, but for too long, fans of red wine have been feeling left out in the cold, so to speak.

Here’s a hot (er, cool) tip for you: plenty of red wines taste great, if not even better, when served slightly chilled.

So next time you find yourself at a barbecue, thinking about how great that juicy hamburger would taste with a nice red, pop open one of these fridge-friendly red wines and let the good times flow.

Chilled Reds 101

But first, a few tips to consider.

Steer clear of extra-tannic grape varieties like Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah or Nebbiolo, as well as wines that have been aged for many years in oak barrels, especially barrels made from new American oak.

There are a lot of reasons winemakers use oak ageing. For one thing, large oak barrels can help smooth out tannins without leaving too much oaky flavour. New wood can impart complex spice notes, but also tightness and tough tannins. Imagine the feeling of sap on your palate; colder temperatures can exacerbate the feeling of spiky tannins, leaving behind an uncomfortable sensation.

Consider wines from hot and sunny wine regions, like Sicily and southern France. In places where eating al fresco is de rigueur, even in summertime, red wine is often served chilled on purpose, as it comes up to ‘room temperature’ much more quickly in hot places. Those wines tend to shine when sipped a few degrees cooler, and they taste great with local cuisine.

Lastly, opt for younger and fruit-centric reds. Bright, fresh, red berry aromas and flavours are actually accentuated by a little chill, whereas jammier wines could come across as simply cold and flat.

How To Chill Red Wine

Chill your wines in the fridge for an hour, or soak the bottle in a bucket of ice water for 10-15 minutes. Pro tip: a little salt in the water will chill them even faster.

Wines To Try Chilled

Lambrusco
Lambrusco is a semi-sparkling wine that hails from the central Italian region of Emilia-Romagna (look for Lambrusco DOC) made from a blend of different varieties of the Lambrusco grape. Like other sparkling wines, it’s traditionally served ice-cold, and typically accompanies cured meats like mortadella and prosciutto, as well as salty aged cheeses like Parmigiano Reggiano. Lambrusco is light and fizzy with notes of dark berries, and sometimes strawberries and floral aromas. It can be a little musky when it warms up, so keep Lambrusco in the ice bucket until the bottle is empty.

[Photo: Lore/Flickr]

Gamay
Gamay is the grape variety par excellence in the region of Beaujolais in the southernmost part of Burgundy. Gamay produces a wide range of wine styles, from the light and young Beaujolais Nouveau to fuller-bodied and complex versions designed to be aged for years. Young Gamay is known for pretty red fruit notes like raspberry, along with a natural sweet spice note and sometimes some floral aromas like violet or iris. A cool glass of the right Gamay is delightfully refreshing on a sweltering day.

Negroamaro
This grape is indigenous to Puglia, Italy’s sun-soaked boot heel. It’s often bottled on its own, or as part of a blend called Salice Salentino. Negroamaro is packed with juicy fruit and luscious purple flower aromas. It can even be naturally smoky, a great accompaniment to summer barbecue.

Cabernet Franc
Unlike its close cousin Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc is generally lighter-bodied with notes of fresh ground black pepper and dark berries. A chill on a Cabernet Franc will really bring out the fruit.

Trollinger
This German variety is also known as Schiava on the Italian side of the Austria-Italian border, and Vernatsch on the Austrian side. It has a tight, bright Alpine quality with notes of strawberry tops and a delicate smokiness. The colder it is, the brighter the fruit. Imagine a sunny day on a ski slope translated into red berries in your glass. This wine is lovely with slow-cooked, tender meats like brisket or pulled pork and creamy cheeses.

Frappato
The Frappato grape grows almost exclusively in Sicily. Look for it labelled as is, or in a blend with Nero d’Avola called Cerasuolo di Vittoria. Frappato has an almost transparent pink-red colour, very silky acidity, and notes of wild strawberries, tart, dried cherries and Mediterranean herbs. Sicilian cuisine is very seafood-centric, and chilled red is nothing new. Try a Frappato with grilled tuna steaks or a swordfish sauteed with olives, capers and fresh herbs like basil and mint.

Malbec
Malbec is often considered the gaucho of South American wines for its big fruit and bold character, but like Gamay, Malbec comes in all shapes and sizes. Argentina is known for their elaborate parrillas, barbecues, that happen all year round, but especially in sunny weather. Young, lighter-bodied Malbecs definitely exist, and they’re priced for everyday quaffing – which is a plus, as they go down way too easily. A chilled Malbec from the most recent vintage, especially unoaked, is full of juicy red fruit.