CHILLABLE REDS: Why & How
Why chill a red wine?
For your personal enjoyment, first and foremost. Maybe it's a hot day and you'd like to feel refreshed but love red wine. Or, you're firing up the grill and cooking some stuff that calls for wine with a little bit more structure than a white can offer.
What makes a wine "chillable" anyhow?
For one, chillable is a state of mind. There is no right or wrong way. Like wine in general, it is subjective and totally comes down to your preference and what you like to enjoy. However, there are some common things we can agree upon when chilling reds the same way you'd chill and enjoy a white or rosé - or, between 50 to 60 degrees.
Lighter bodied wines with brighter acidity tend to be most enjoyable chilled. Wines with carbonic maceration are also great contenders. What is Carbonic Maceration? - It is a style of wine making where whole grape bunches are first tossed into the fermentation vessel. The grape bunches are then blanketed with Carbon Dioxide eliminating any oxygen in the fermentation process. Grapes initiate fermenting within each individual grape before finishing fermenting all together. What does it mean? Wines made in this style have a delicious youthful and fruit forwardness. This style of wine is also lower in tannin and lighter in color. Making for a great chillable, summertime drinking red.
So What's the Right Temp?
50 to 60 degrees is ideal, as a general consensus. Too cold and the fruit notes will be muted. But, the key here is to also not overthink it. The wine can always warm up. Leave it in the fridge and enjoy whenever you're ready. If it's too cold for your taste, it will warm up fairly quickly in the glass. Or, take out of the fridge 30 to 40 minutes prior to serving.
Some Great "Chillable" Ideas (including, but not limited to):
Division Villages, Gamay Noir, 'Les Petits Fers,' Oregon 2019 - $26.99
- Strawberry, raspberry and warm earth tones.
Arnot Roberts, Gamay Noir, El Dorado, California 2018 - $32.99
- This wine is so pretty with notes of macerated strawberries and flowers.
Stolpman, Sangiovese, So Fresh 'Love You Bunches,' California 2019 - $26.99
- Cherry sour candy and tart berry.
Stolpman, So Fresh 'Crunchy Roastie,' California 2019 - $27.99
- Bluefruit and underlying savory notes add some complexity.