Entertaining

When should you chill red wine?

The response to my recent poll on how often you chill red wine was fascinating. Contrary to the general impression you get that everyone drinks chilled reds with fish these days only 15% said that they did. However the 45% who said they chilled reds “often, particularly in summer” probably included fish among the meals with which they drank it.

I was particularly surprised to find however that as many as 40% of you say you ‘never’ chill red wine. Whether that’s because you think it’s the wrong thing to do, don’t enjoy the effect it has or simply that you haven’t ever thought of it I’m not sure but here’s my take on the subject:

1) Most wines, even serious wines, tend to be served too warm. Most rooms these days are at least 20°C. frequently hotter which will accentuate alcohol levels and make many modern reds taste warm and soupy. So even if you don’t actually chill your reds try and keep them in a cool room before you serve them - about 18°C.

2) There are certain types of light reds that lend themselves particularly well to chilling, especially with fish such as seared salmon and tuna. They include inexpensive Pinot Noir, Beaujolais and other wines made from the Gamay grape and Loire reds such as Bourgueil and Saumur-Champigny. You don’t want to chill them as much as a white or a sparkling wine - about half an hour in the fridge or 4 or 5 minutes in an ice bucket will do the trick - but it will emphasise their freshness and fruitiness.

3) Some people however (and this is illustrated by the poll) feel uncomfortable about chillling red wine or think it is the wrong thing to do - and that includes sommeliers who will sometimes look askance if you ask for a wine to be chilled. So use a bit of sensitivity. If you think it’s going to rub your guests up the wrong way or give them the impression you don’t know what you’re doing you might want to serve your wine slightly warmer than you do for personal preference.

 

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