Think of an Amarone and the last thing that you expect is to see it in an ice bucket. You expect to drink it at room temperature, more often than not in the cooler months or once the summer sun has long set.

 
But to overlook the possibility of putting a full bodied red on ice is to miss out on another flavour dimension entirely.

Of course, chilling red wine is nothing new. Inarguably the most renowned is Beaujolais. Much has been written about the optimum temperature for these juicy light reds in order to enhance the fruity notes and bring out more vibrancy. All of which lines these sorts of wines up perfectly for drinking in the summer months. And it seems that the perspective that fruit forward, light wines are the ones that should be chilled down has stuck. Alongside Gamay, others to make the ‘chill list’ include Pinot Noir, and in the case of Italian varieties, Dolcetto and Frappato.

To think, however, that the only wines worth chilling are light ones is to overlook a whole flavour universe. Chilling supresses tannins and brings out the fruitier notes in a wine. Let us also add that in wines where there is higher acidity, a bit of a chill focuses on that element. It also draws attention to the more aromatic dimension of a wine.

Check our selection of chilled red wines HERE  

All in all, chilling a wine has the potential to transform it entirely. So why then not apply that principal to heavier, full bodied reds too? And when we talk about ‘chilling’ we do not just mean keeping it cool. We are talking about putting red wines on ice. To be honest, is there anything sexier than picking up an icy bottle and watching deep, inky liquid pour out into the glass?

It was Luca (who else) who instated the mission to take chilled red wines to The Nth Degree. The watershed was trying some of Dettori’s heavy hitting Sardinian red wines served on ice. Wines with tannins and minerality, the force of the wine is tamed and instead they morph into something silky and intoxicating. What is more, the high alcohol content of these wines (often 15% and above) is no longer forceful. In a way, the ice allows the focus to be turned onto the depth of flavour that is so characteristic of Dettori’s wine.

Not all red wines should be drunk this cold though. Something such as a Sangiovese needs only a light amount of chill to make them perfect summer drinking, The high acidity and herbaceous notes of  rosemary and sage are accentuated. In essence the spiciness typical of Sangiovese is replaced by a more complex bouquet and energy.

But perhaps the most simple reason for why we propose chilling red wines is because we certainly don’t think you should put them to the side when the temperatures rise. Yes, something like a chilled Valpolicella is perfect for taking along to the beach as it does not need to be kept ‘quite’ so cold as a white wine does to enjoy it properly. The same goes for a picnic or a long languid lunch. But to be perfectly honest, the best time to have a chilled or ice cold red wine is over an evening so you can contemplate the different flavours that come to the fore. A red wine drinker’s eureka moment.   


We are running a MASTERCLASS on chilled Red Wines on Friday the 26th of July - if you are curious to know more just read all the details HERE