Commonly held wine wisdom suggests that there are two basic rules to be observed when it comes to wine – namely that white wine should always be served chilled and red should always be served at room temperature. But while this widely accepted notion may hold true for the vast majority of wines, wine enthusiasts are now coming to the understanding that serving chilled red wine does not have to be a faux pas.
Whilst nobody is suggesting that it´s a good idea to stick just any bottle in a wine fridge and hope for the best, there are some styles and varieties that do lend themselves well to being served chilled.
The widely-accepted belief is that reds should be served at between 14 to 18C and red wine drinkers have long taken this rule as being applicable to each and every bottle out there. Although the idea of red wine served chilled is a relatively new concept to much of the wine world, the practice of lightly chilling certain types of red wine has long been common practice in many wine-producing regions. In France’s famous Loire Valley, for example, locally produced Sancerre red wine is often served chilled during the summer months.
Wine drinkers that have tended to steer away from red wine because of its tendency to be a somewhat ‘heavy’ drink may well find that chilling the wine can tempt them away from whites – as chilling a red wine can make it noticeably less tannic and intense. Wine lovers who appreciate white wine for its freshness and easy drinking qualities often find chilled red wines to be more to their taste than those served at the more traditional cellar temperature, as they take on a fresh, zesty fruitiness that is not commonly associated with reds.
In addition to the question as to which wines should be served cooler than room temperature, the concept of chilled reds also throws up some interesting questions when it comes to food pairings.
The idea of pairing a chilled red with food is indeed a little perplexing – should the wine be served with those dishes that are widely accepted as lending themselves well to a red wine, such as meat dishes and casseroles, or with light fish and pasta dishes, a-la-white wine?
In truth, the answer is very much down to personal taste. Whilst the ‘rules’ of food and wine pairing may be a good starting point for deciding which bottle to serve with which dish, they are not carved in stone and are open to interpretation depending on what flavour combinations tend to work well for you.
If you’re new to the idea of chilled red wine, a good starting point is to treat it as a ‘summer’ drink to accompany barbecues, picnics and other events that combine food, drink and socialising. Chilling the red wine will create a conversation point and if you cool a couple of bottles you´ll be able to gauge guests reactions as to which bottles adapt well to the chilling process and which are less successful.
Don´t start with a really robust, tannic red such as a Zinfandel or a Barolo, but instead go for something a little more easy drinking, such as a Beaujolais or a Pinot Noir. And it goes without saying that you probably shouldn’t experiment with that aged bottle you have been saving for a special occasion. In fact, the younger the red wine, the more likely it is to chill well. Older wines and those that are very high in alcohol or tannins, are not good choices, as they tend to develop a lip-puckering sensation that can be less than pleasant.
A chilled Grenache served with party nibbles or barbecued meat should be a winner at any summer social event, or perhaps you could make like the French and serve a chilled Sancerre with those dishes that would traditionally be accompanied by white wine.
Indeed, French wines tend to be a good bet for those new to the concept of chilling reds, as this wine-loving nation boasts plenty of wine varieties that work very well when served chilled. Beaujolais is often served at a little lower than room temperature even by the most traditional of wine enthusiasts and can really take well to an additional 20 minutes in the fridge. The new wave of sparkling reds, led by the sparkling Shiraz from Australia that has begun to take off on the international market, obviously need to be served cool and are ideal for those who want to truly break with tradition – a red wine that is both cool and fizzy? Now that is one way to challenge the way you think about wine.
Let us know what you think in the comments below.
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I recently had a sparkling Ozzie Shiraz and it was superb. I agree also that young Pinot Noirs and Beaujolais served chilled go well with Fish dishes. I’ve also had a Menetou Salon Rose from near Sancerre which was fantastic and cheaper than the Sancerre, but can only be bought in the Region.
Thanks for taking the time to comment Mike.
It’s a shame (although understandable!) that the locals will always keep the best wine for themselves
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