What red wines can be served chilled?

Answer 1

You can chill any red wine that you want. The ATF will not show up and arrest you for bad taste or ruining the wine.

However, red wine is typically enjoyed at celler temperature (not room temperature, not cold). Some dark Rose' wines can be served slightly chilled (warmer than whites), some light red wines are fine with a touch of a chill, and some people like inexpensive zins and pinots chilled during summer. But, tradtionally speaking, no true or complex red wine is ever served chilled or cold. The most I would ever do with my wines is to put them in a fridge for 15 minutes before serving.

Chilling reduces the experience of wine, and it's a cardinal sin to remove the flavours, textures, and smells from red wines.

Answer 2

Any red wine can be served chilled but just not for a long period of time. Personally no more than 30 minutes and 15 will probably do.

Answer 3

There are plenty of red wines that can be chilled, and are often better chilled.

One of the great red wines for barbeques is Beaujolais. Beaujolais comes from the Burgundy region of France and is the leading selling Burgundy in the U.S. It's made from the Gamay grape, it's light and fruity, relatively inexpensive, mostly under $10, often served chilled, and it's readily available anywhere and everywhere.

If a Beaujolais is too light for you, then you might want to go to a Chianti. Chianti is required by Italian law to use at least 75% Sangiovese grape, which is a light red wine grape, but has a little more "beef" than the Gamay grape, and is an excellent accompaniment to just about anything. It's not too heavy for a cold pasta or a salad tossed with Balsamic vinegar and virgin olive oil. Nor is it too light for steak or lamb. And, you can chill it. You don't want to chill it to the extent that you would a bottle of Fum>= Blanc, but enough to take the heat out of it on a hot summer day.

And, Chianti can be found at all different price levels, from $5 a bottle and up, depending on the maker and what it's blended with.

Another good red varietal for barbeques is Tempranillo. It's the primary grape used in Spain's Rioja wines. There are a number of California and Oregon Tempranillos being produced now, but they tend to be pricey and heavier than the inexpensive Riojas of Spain. Mind you, they're excellent, but keep in mind that climate and terroir are huge factors in the kind of wine a grape produces, and U.S. Tempranillos are generally big wines, not readily available, and expensive.

Rioja wines are good chilled, have enough body, tannins and acidity to cut through a juicy steak, and are readily available across the country at reasonable prices. Trader Joe's always has a good Rioja reasonably priced on its shelves.

Answer 4

None should be served warm, so it depends on what their temperature is first :)

While the current temperature where I am is 32C / 90F and we have no aircon, I'm sticking all my red wines in the fridge for an hour before serving.

The wines traditionally served chilled are Beaujolais, and Loire reds, in other words light reds. I was at a tasting at anItalian winery two weeks ago where the owner served all the wines - red and white - from a large ice-bucket.

Do what feels right for you - the wine should be slightly cool to your lips.

Answer 5

I think red wines need to be decanted , otherwise the bitterness remains. It also remains when the bottle is freshly opened. That is why the wine must be allowed "to breathe", a few minutes with the cork open and the "rancidness" disappears. I think that chilling a common variety of red wine causes the bitterness to remain longer, i.e. more "breathing time" is needed before the cooled wine is drinkable, which must be the primary reason that red wine is drunk at room temperature. In tropical climes, however, it is often a practice to chill all wines, even the red variety.

Answer 6

Its all a matter of taste. Typically, your big reds (chianti, cabernet, merlot, shiraz) loose their dryness, and a good bit of flavor when chilled. There are some reds that are made to be consumed cold: lambrusco, sangria (better if you make it yourself) and certain red blends such as Franzia's Chillable Red or Almaden's Alfresco Red. They tend to be on the lower end of the scale as far as quality goes, but don't let that stop you from drinking what you like. If you like your merlot at the same temperature you like your chardonnay, go for it.

Keep one thing in mind though: the optimal temperature for drinking a red wine is CELLAR temperature, not room temperature. Cellar temperature is typically defined as between 50 and 58 degrees.

Answer 7

Riunite Lambrusco! It's like $4 a bottle and it's served chilled. Not recommended for people who actually care about wine, but if you really like you reds chilled, knock yourself out!

Answer 8

Red wines that are lighter in color and generally "simpler" in flavor can be served chilled. The classic example of this is wine from the Beaujolais region of France, or wines from other countries made from the Gamay grape. It's not traditionally served as cold as, say, champagne or pilsner, but it's served cooler than a complex red like a delicate pinot noir or a fine Bordeaux. Try leaving it in the refrigerator for only an hour or so. The Beaujolais wines from Louis Jadot are regularly available and of reliable quality, generally giving good value for the money (typically around $10 retail).

If you're looking to serve a red wine but want to serve it cold, consider making sangria, a Spanish beverage made by macerating citrus fruits in a medium-bodied red wine, then serving over ice. Some sangria recipes call for adding a splash of brandy or rum, some soda water, and a little sugar to the mix, which make it more of a red-wine punch. I enjoy sangria with barbecues in the summertime; the extra sugar and citrus are refreshing on hot summer afternoons, especially with smoky meats with a spicy, salty dry-rub. Try this with a good, mid-priced Australian shiraz (Rosemount, Alice White, or the like, typically around $8) for your next informal outdoor get-together.

And finally, if you want to serve something cold but really yearn for the dryness of a red wine, look for a few dry rose wines from select vineyards. (Most pink or "rose" wines are poor quality, relying on high quantities of residual sugar to attract new wine drinkers.) If you like the dryness of a big red wine but want something cold, try Bonny Doon Vin Gris de Cigare (about $11 retail), from Santa Cruz winemaker Randall Grahm. It's made from a similar blend of southern French varietals as those used in their lush, deep red called Le Cigare Volant (grenache, syrah, mourvedre, and cinsault figuring highly), but the juice for the Vin Gris was left on the skins for only 24 hours, allowing only a small amount of color to leach into the wine. The result is a coppery, salmon-colored wine that is wonderful chilled but has enough body, fruit, and tannin to stand up to grilled salmon, light game (rabbit, quail, duck or goose), or even pastas and cheese dishes. We've had good luck with an Italian rosato di sangiovese lately, and with a Spanish rose made from garnacha (the Spanish equivalent of the classic southern French grenache).

Bon appetit!

Answer 9

Red wines made with Lemberger grapes are awesome chilled.

My absolute favorite is "Sof Lem" by Yakima River Winery in Washington State. This winery specializes in red wines and has many award winners!.

Answer 10

Many red table wines. Also any Reunite red and sangria. Needless to say, the red variety. Also, it is your choice. Most red wines are
preferably at room temp because you get the full flavor and body.