When In Doubt, Chill It Out
It’s hot in the desert. I mean, REALLY HOT. When the temps are in the 100’s, nothing is more refreshing than a glass of red wine. Wait, what? I mean, chilled red wine. Ok, just trust me on this...
A couple of years ago, I had my first “chillable” red experience. Now, all I want to drink is chillable reds. Before that, I had only experienced red wines that were either at room temperature or at cellar temp. Now, chillable reds are everywhere! People are always askin’ for them, and we keep stockin’ them up! But, what makes them so great? Why are people everywhere wanting to chill their red wines all of a sudden? I’ll try to answer these questions, so you can figure out whether these wines are for you!
So, what makes a red, “chillable?”
These wines are not quite rose, and not quite red, like the deep color that we are familiar with. The color is somewhat in between the two. During fermentation, the skins hangout with the juice for a shorter period of time than a traditional red wine. This gives the wine more depth and color then a rose, but not quite as much as let’s say a Cab or Merlot.
The majority of chillable reds that we see come from Pinot Noir, Zweigelt, Carignan, Gamay and Pais. But, you can make them from any red grape. They usually have taste profiles that are fruit driven and a little floral. This makes them a perfect candidate for summer sippin’. By definition, they’re *Glou Glou, through and through.
These wines don’t need to be enjoyed by themselves.
Chillable reds still pair amazingly well with food. I’d suggest firing up the grill or enjoying them with a little charcuterie, but honestly what doesn’t pair well with charcuterie? Whether you drink it by itself, or with food, I’m sure that you will enjoy it. You’ll think, “why haven’t I tried this sooner?!”
Head over to your local natural wine shop and pick up a bottle. It will hopefully help you forget that it’s 100+ degrees outside, or just make it a little more tolerable. Cheers!
*Glou Glou- French for Glug Glug, a term often used when the wine is super easy to drink!
By: Kirsten McLaren
OUR CURRENT FAVS
2020 Roug E Clair: A tasty little summer treat. Not a red, not a rosé, but a clairet (very light red) which shines with notes of fruit, flowers and spices.
2020 Reddish Agiorgitiko: Halkia reddish comes from one of the most planted red Greek grapes, Agiorgitiko, from its place of origin in Nemea, by organic female grower Anna Halkia. A fun red wine with a rustic and easy character.
2020 Cinq a Six Malbec: 100% certified organic Malbec sourced from the Conley Vineyard in Yakima, Washington. Very lightly pressed, blurring the line between red and rosé.