Why You Should Drink Chillable Red Wine This Summer

3 minutes readMay 19, 2024Sylvia Ba

As temperatures rise and summer approaches, it's time for gatherings, parties, and music festivals. For the summer season, rosé and sparkling wines are the favored summer wines for wine lovers. However, in recent years, chillable red wines have gained popularity among many young people, becoming a fashionable choice in trendy wine bars downtown.

A chillable red is a light-bodied, fruity, approachable red wine. (image generated with Midjourney)

What is a Chillable Red Wine?

Firstly, what exactly is a chillable red? This nomenclature may seem somewhat novel to many, but chillable red wines are not a new invention. In fact, not all red wines are best consumed at room temperature. Light-bodied reds with high acidity are best served slightly cooler. The term "chillable red” , however, has been popularized more recently.

A chillable red wine is a light-bodied, fruit-forward, low in alcohol, moderate in tannin level, non or slightly oaked red wine that is best consumed when it's young and at a cooler temperature. In other words, chillable reds are often referred to as "glou glou" red wines.

An example of a chilled red (Photo: Sylvia Ba)

Chilled Reds are Perfect for Summer

Thanks to their easy-drinking, approachable style, chillable reds are now loved by many. Chillable red wines typically possess refreshing acidity, a light body, and juicy fruity characteristics, making them perfect for warm summer nights. Furthermore, since chillable reds are made to be consumed young, the use of oak is usually minimal, rarely involving new oak and for a short duration, unlike some bold and structured red wines. There's no need to open the bottle in advance to let the wine breathe, eliminating the hassle of decanting, which makes them great for casual occasions.

Chillable red wines are perfect for summer gatherings (Photo: Harper Sunday, Unsplash.com)

Chillable Reds are Food-Friendly

Chillable reds are not only suitable for summer weather but are also extremely food-friendly, pairing easily with many summer dishes. As a red wine, they have a bit more body and structure than whites, but as young, fresh, and fruity wines, they can beautifully complement dishes typically paired with white wines.

Chillable reds are excellent with pizza. Red wines with red berry flavors are perfect for tomato-based sauces and chillable reds go well with a large range of pizza toppings. They also pair well with tomato-based salads and cold dishes.

Moreover, chillable reds are more vegetarian-friendly than rich, intense reds. Try a chillable red with Caponata or Guacamole, and you will be amazed.

A common misconception is that red wine doesn't go with seafood. In fact, a chillable red would be a better pairing for seafood like Tuna Carpaccio or squid ink pasta.

Are you convinced to try some chillable red wine this summer? Here are some chillable reds suggested by VinoVoss wine expert. Chill them to 50 to 55°F (10 to 13 °C), or for two to three hours in the fridge, to best enjoy your juicy, delightful chilled reds.