Chilled red wine is not a new concept but as our summer continues to heat up, it’s time for a reminder that red wines can be enjoyed year round. I’m not suggesting a full body, high tannin, high alcohol wine but a red wine that has low tannin, lower alcohol and is more fruit forward.
Lighter in colour, these wines can be served at 12-13 °C compared to a full-bodied red that would work better at 16-18°C. Paired with a summer salad and even fish, a juicy chilled red wine could end up being your go to beverage this summer.
Varietals like Pinot Noir, Gamay are the style I’m talking about but there are many more that fit in this category. Think Grenache, Zweigelt and Cinsault to just name a few. Check out Wine Folly for more suggestions.
A few weeks ago our Ladies Love Wine group had our summer wine night and explored the road leading to some amazing red wines and how to pair them for an easy summer get together.
Albinea Canali Ottocentonero Lambrusco – $20.95
Alcohol 12% Sugar 12 g/l
50% Lambrusco Salamino, 40% Lambrusco Grasparossa, and 10% Ancellotta grapes
This style of red bubbly wine was popular in the 70’s but was much sweeter and wasn’t taken too seriously. Produced in Emilia Romagna, Lambrusco’s of today have less sugar and are definitely a trend in restaurants across Canada. Bubbly red wine may not be for everyone but I love it. In fact I’m kind of obsessed with Labrusco right now. And if you think about the Emilia Romagna region, think of what they are also famous for….parmesan reggiano, balsamic vinegar(Modena) and prosciutto di parma! When in doubt, pair wine and food from the same region and there’s a good chance it will work.
We tried 2 pairings. Chicago style popcorn just to see if the sweetness of the popcorn brought out the fruitiness of the wine (kind of). We also had skewers of salami, gherkin pickle, Havarti, olives and basil. We all agreed this worked especially with the salty tang of the olive.
Stylistically a rosé wine is closer to a white wine since the skins are not left to ferment but are pressed off before fermentation. Lighter than a red wine, less tannin and more fruitiness to shine through.
A rosé from Provence made from Cinsault, Grenache, Rolle and Syrah. A lovely aroma of fresh fruit, flowers and stone fruit. Minerality and strawberry on the palate.
This wine was paired with Natalia’s ceviche which was outstanding.
At $25.95, there should always be a bottle of this Miraval Rosé in your fridge!
Alcohol 12.5%
Sugar 2g/l
Continuing down the path of chilled red wines we tasting 2 Gamay’s from the Niagara area but from different appellations. Comparing the Bachelder Wismer-Foxcroft Gamay ($32) from the twenty mile bench with the Bachelder Kirby Gamay ($27.95) we noticed more dark concentrated fruit with the Kirby Gamay but both were lovely examples of Ontario Gamay’s. This is a varietal that excels in our climate and should be taken seriously. Food friendly, luscious, and chillable, this wine also pairs well with your Thankgiving or Christmas turkey.
We decided to pair these wines with strawberry salsa in tortilla cups. A great pairing to highlight the fruit forwardness of these wines. I made up this recipe by putting the salsa in the tortilla cups and topping with a bit of goat cheese. Click here for the tortilla recipe.
The next wine on this tasting journey was the inspiration for the earlier red wine, a Beaujolais from France. Beaujolais is a region in France known primarily for red wines made from the Gamay grape. Their light body, high acidity and red fruit flavours, make them perfect chilled during summer. This is a very elegant wine with notes of blackcurrant, berry, savory herbs, earth, and red fruit. This wine is a beaujolais-villages which generally offer more complexity and is a step up from a beaujolais.
We chose to pair this wine with Bruschetta. The acidity of the tomatoes and balsamic glaze complemented the acidity in this beaujolais.
Pinot Noir. Who doesn’t love a great Pinot Noir. An elegant Burgundy, slightly chilled on a warm summer evening. Correction…… it is perfect any time of year! For this tasting we decided to offer a 2022 French Burgundy from Mercurey. This area is in the subregion of Cotê Chalonaise. These Pinot Noir’s are a deep ruby in colour with aromas of underbrush, and red fruit. This Burgundy was very nice and although it was the most expensive wine we tasted, at $33.95, this is a steal considering how much you could pay for other well made Burgundies. There are some amazing Pinot Noir’s produced in the Niagara region and I’m going to repeat myself but it’s because our climate can bring out the earthiness and bright acidity also found in a French Burgundy
Alcohol 12.5%
Sugar 3g/l
Price $33.95
The default food pairing for a Pinot Noir is mushrooms and as I love mushooms and hadn’t put them on the menu yet, I figured a savory mushroom pastry was a perfect choice.
Our last wine of the evening was suggested by Natalia as one of her go to red wines.
- Release Date. May 10, 2025
- Alcohol/Vol. 14.5%
- Made In Sicily, Italy
- Sugar 2 g/L
- Varietal Nerello Mascalese Blend
- $24.96
This 2021 wine is from the Etna region of Sicily. The vineyard in located on the north side of an active volcano at 1000 meters above sea level which is evident when you experience the acidity. Red berries, black cherries and white pepper on the palate helps to create a food friendly charmer.
We decided to pair this wine with beef sliders. I used Pillsbury country biscuits for the buns just to add something different to the mix. These burgers were topped with sweet pickles, onion jam and lettuce. You wont find much tannins on this wine which makes it perfect to chill. What you will find is lots of concentrated flavours that hold up to the burger. This wine would also pair well with pasta, sausages and smoked fish.
That is the end of our food and wine tasting but hopefully not the end of our journey into chilled red wines. So next time you go shopping for wine be sure to pick up some of our suggestions, put them in the fridge and remember to thank us when that chilled red wine is a perfect pairing at your summer BBQ!
