CHILLABLE REDS
Chillable red wines are those that find their flavors enhanced at lower temperatures; they are usually a bit more substantial than rosé, but no less refreshing. A red wine is generally considered ‘chillable’ when it has low tannin, refreshing acidity, light-to-medium body, a juicy fruit character, and a low-to-moderate alcohol level.
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CHILLABLE RED GRAPE VARIETIESBasic Beaujolais and its charming Gamay Noir grape provide the archetypal chillable red, but numerous other grape varieties are used to make red wines that shine with a chill, including: Zweigelt, Blaufränkisch, Trollinger, Schiava, Nero d’Avola, Frappato, Barbera, Dolcetto, Mencia, Bonarda, Corvina, Grignolino, Poulsard, Cinsault, Rossese, lighter styles of Pinot Noir, lighter styles of Grenache, Lambrusco, and others!
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WINEMAKING
Typically, thin-skinned red grapes are used to make the types of red wines that are most suitable for chilling, as they provide less potential tannin than their thick-skinned brethren. Thick-skinned grapes, often used to make wines with high tannin content, are poor candidates for drinking chilled because lower temperatures tend to make the impression of tannins ‘harder’ and more apparent. Any red wine can benefit from a very slight chill to reduce the overt impression of alcohol in the wine, but drinking tannic red wines too cold can mute their flavors and really allow the tannic structure to dominate.
WHAT MAKES A RED WINE ‘CHILLABLE’?
Low Tannin
Juicy Fruit
Refreshing Acidity
Light/Medium Body
No/Low Oak
Low Tannin
Juicy Fruit
Refreshing Acidity
Light/Medium Body
No/Low Oak
FOOD & WINE
From the bistros of Paris to the restaurants of New York you’ll hear people referring to chillable red wines as ‘glou-glou’ (the French term for the “glug-glug” sound of gulping an easy-drinking wine). Grab your own glou-glou, chill it down, and start glugging! They go well with a wide range of foods, from summer salads and grilled seafood, to traditional bistro fare like medium-rare steak frites and charcuterie, to cold-cut sandwiches and hot dogs, to BBQ chicken legs or shish kabob off the grill! And, of course, a glass of chilled glou-glou on its own helps make a sunny day complete.
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GLOU-GLOU!
From the bistros of Paris to the restaurants of New York you’ll hear people referring to chillable red wines as glou glou (the French term for the “glug-glug” sound of gulping an easy-drinking wine). Grab your own glou glou, chill it down, and start glugging!
EASY WAYS TO CHILL YOUR REDS
• Put your bottle in ice water for 15-20 minutes before serving
• Put your bottle in the refrigerator for 30-45 minutes before serving
• Store your bottle at refrigerator temperature and take 1 hour before serving.
• Put your bottle in the refrigerator for 30-45 minutes before serving
• Store your bottle at refrigerator temperature and take 1 hour before serving.
