Picture yourself perusing the drinks table at a friend’s barbecue on a hot summer evening. Most likely you’re imagining a big cooler of ice, filled with white wine, rosé, beer, and soft drinks. The red wines would be sitting out on the table, hopefully out of the sun, but, even so, on an 80 or 90-degree day, they would feel warm to the touch. You’d probably reach for something in the ice bucket, right?

Nothing ruins a perfectly good glass of red wine than when it is served too warm. Most people think that red wine should be served at room temperature. But considering that indoor temperatures in the summer can easily climb above 70° F, that’s not ideal. When red wine is too warm, even by a few degrees, the wine’s balance seems out of whack. The alcohol will be overly pronounced and the wine will feel heavy and taste jammy, like an overcooked fruit tart.

Unsurprisingly, many people, looking to be refreshed, automatically gravitate towards non-reds in the summer. However, when chilled properly, red wines can be just as thirst-quenching as white, rosé, and sparkling wines in all seasons, but especially during the warmer months.

Master of Wine Mary Ewing-Mulligan agrees. “The general tendency in our country is to serve red wines at too warm a temperature,” she says. “At too warm a temp, red wines taste clumsy, blousy and heavy.” Ewing-Mulligan says that a slight chill can make red wine taste more balanced and easier to enjoy in the heat.

She also notes that while 30 minutes in the fridge can help bring out the fresh fruit flavors in a wine, she advises not to over-chill a red wine or it will taste bitter, especially wines with a lot of tannin. Ewing-Mulligan shows less concern with over-chilling of lighter styles of red wine. “Grape varieties that are naturally low in tannin, such as Pinot Noir, Grenache, or Merlot, make less tannic wines that are particularly suitable for chilling,” she says.

Yet even a big and powerful red wine can benefit from a slight chill. Ewing-Mulligan suggests serving a structured red wine, such as red Bordeaux, at 62-63° F but an even cooler 60° in the summer. “At the right temperature,” she says, “serious red wine can be enjoyable and refreshing. The wine will show its proper structure and its aromas and flavors should be fresh, rather than heavy.”

See The Wine Chef’s Tomato, Basil, and Burrata: A Summer Food Pairing With Bordeaux’s Les Cadrans de Lassègue. THe wine, slightly chilled before serving, was a perfect match to freshly sliced tomatoes and creamy burrata cheese. — **See The Wine Chef’s** ***Tomato, Basil, and Burrata: A Summer Food Pairing With Bordeaux’s Les Cadrans de Lassègue*. THe wine, slightly chilled before serving, was a perfect match to freshly sliced tomatoes and creamy burrata cheese.**

Is your red wine properly chilled? The simplest way to know is to touch the bottle. It will feel cool, but not cold, and after enough practice, you’ll know what feels right.

But if you’re the kind of person who loves precision, there are a few types of thermometers that give exact temperature readings. A simple wine thermometer inserted into an open bottle can be used, or a cuff-shaped style that wraps around the bottle, or an easy-to-use infrared thermometer.

How to rapidly chill a bottle that’s too warm. The best way to quickly cool down a bottle of wine is by immersing it in an ice bath, a mix of ice and cold water. For a slight chill, leave the bottle immersed for about 10 minutes. The next quickest method is to chill the wine in the freezer which takes about 20 minutes. Just don’t forget the bottle. If it freezes, the cork could pop out, or even worse, the bottle may burst.

A Few Chill-Worthy Reds

Les Cadrans de Lassègue 2016. ($24) This delicious red Bordeaux is made from 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc. Lush and opulent, the wine’s freshness and fruit are enhanced by a slight chill. Read more about the wine here, and pair it with tomato, basil and burrata salad.

Fontanafredda Briccotondo Barbera 2018. ($15) This aromatic, juicy wine from the hills of Piedmont has just the right amount of acidity and tannins to support its luscious, tangy fruit (think blackberries and plums). With a slight chill, this wine is impossible to put down!

Anne Sophie Dubois Les Cocottes Fleurie 2019. ($29) This small, organic producer is upping the Beaujolais Cru game. Light, juicy, and tart, the wine will make you feel like you fell into a swimming pool of ripe berries. The wine’s delicate personality flourishes with a slight chill on the bottle.

Moric Blaufränkisch 2017. ($31) Drinking this savory, yet fruity, red wine from Burgenland, Austria is like biting into a piece of tart cherry pie while on a picnic deep in the woods after a rainfall. Spicy, peppery and floral at the same time, the wine feels alive in the glass — light on its feet, yet with an intense personality.