Chilling red wine was once considered a serious faux pas - ordering an ice cube for your Pinot Noir could easily earn you a raised eyebrow from your waiter or whispered judgments from your peers. However, the wine world has evolved, and there’s now a growing appreciation for the allure of light, juicy reds served with a touch of chill. When done right, chilled red wines can be wonderfully refreshing, delightfully zippy, and just as fitting for summer as a crisp white or rosé. The key lies in selecting the right style, partnered with the perfect serving temperature to accentuate their lively character. With an open mind and a well-chosen bottle, you might just discover that some of your favorite red varieties can seamlessly transition into summer staples, offering a whole new dimension to warm-weather sipping.

Choosing the right wine variety:

Different types of wines are recommended to be served at different temperatures in order to enhance or dampen their flavour. While not an exact science, as a general rule the red wines that benefit from chilling tend to be lower in alcohol, lower in tannin, higher in acidity and full of fruit flavours. Chilling a lighter younger variety, such as a gamay, pinot noir or grenache, will go a long way in enhancing natural freshness and bright fruit flavours.

Finding the ideal temp:

Chilled reds need only a subtle temperature drop - the colder a wine gets, the less flavour comes through, so it’s important to find the sweet spot. Roughly an hour in the fridge should get you in the ballpark; it’s cool, but not cold, meaning the wine will retain plenty of aromatic flavour while still offering some respite from the heat outside.

Pairing with food:

The vibrancy and zippiness of a typical chilled red is best paired with things like antipasto meats and cheeses, sweet and spicy Asian-style dishes, or anything grilled on the BBQ.

Our Recommendations:

NV All Saints Estate Bubbly Shiraz- $36.00 

Deep crimson in colour, with the added bonus of effervescent bubbles. Lashings of flavour here - plenty of rich red berries, roasted plum, dark chocolate, espresso and coconut. Made exclusively from Shiraz, our Bubbly Shiraz has a rich fruit sweetness balanced by light zesty tannins, lively acidity and just a sprinkle of seasoned oak. This wine is going to pair brilliantly with anything barbequed, particularly fattier meats like pork belly and short ribs (or even try with bacon and eggs, just how the Brown's enjoy it!).

2023 St Leonards Vineyard Ruby- $32.00 

Perfect for summer and warmer days, Ruby is a youthful and vibrant chillable red wine with a confected raspberry, cherry and a subtle mint character. It has tension, texture and is medium-bodied. We recommend popping it in the fridge and serving a few hours later alongside a grazing platter laden with prosciutto, salami, and fatty meat to cut through the acid in the wine.