Chilling red wine

[goatpebble]

I am sure that most of us have served fresh fruity lightweight stuff lightly chilled.

We knew what we where doing, and chose the perfect wine do do it with.

But this evening I met up with an old friend. We had a plan. An indoor sort of barbeque plan.

So roasted veg, grilled fish, and meze things happened.

The wine she brought was something from Puglia. Cheap and cheerful, but hyper, hyper chilled.

I was slightly worried when I saw the condensation dripping from the bottle.

But it worked! I am still trying to get my head round it!

If I was blindfolded, I think I would have thought it was some strange regional white grape, from somewhere hot and sunny. One of those strange varieties that still maintains a level of healthy acidity and fruit, grown in soils that might be volcanic.

Or something...


*I might be a bit drunk. More than three glasses means I will agree to the most preposterous ideas.

[mike]

+1   

Chilling red wine is a *good* thing.

[Gattopardo]

Why are you worried? If you liked it, and it tasted good. If it tastes good it is good.  Next invites would be nice.

[Jaded]

But this evening I met up with an old friend.

with fava beans and a chilled Chianti? 

Nothing wrong with trying something a bit different! 

[goatpebble]

Why are you worried? If you liked it, and it tasted good. If it tastes good it is good.  Next invites would be nice.

Not worried at all! I chill reds quite happily, but only when I know the wine.

It's a bit different when someone delivers a wine that would not normally be chilled, and it's a surprise.

In this case, a delightful surprise!

[Gattopardo]

So tell us the wine man we need to know.

[bobb]

Quite a few Sarfas I know put ice in red wine 

[andyoxon]

Yes, if you like it, but... I think light reds e.g. Beaujolais are probably OK chilled; but spend ££ on a good full bodied Cabernet Sauv. and you'll ruin the experience (IMHO) drinking it well chilled.  Taste is very much linked to smell, and wine 'volatiles' are, well, for one more volatile at higher temperature.  

[Woofage]

A friend once recommended that if a red turns out to be less-than-desirable to drink it chilled. Not tried it myself but it seems plausible.

[John Henry]

A friend once recommended that if a red turns out to be less-than-desirable to drink it chilled. Not tried it myself but it seems plausible.

Lowering the temperature of things tends to weaken their flavour, because of what andyoxon said. So if the flavour isn't good, chilling it will make it more palatable.

This, allegedly, is the reason for 'Guinness Extra Cold'. A lot of people wanted to buy into the whole trendy Oirish Guinness drinkin' ting, but the snag was that they didn't actually like the flavour very much. So they came up with the idea of chilling it to save people the inconvenience of tasting it.

[rogerzilla]

I like red wine just below blood heat 

[bobb]

A friend once recommended that if a red turns out to be less-than-desirable to drink it chilled. Not tried it myself but it seems plausible.

Lowering the temperature of things tends to weaken their flavour, because of what andyoxon said. So if the flavour isn't good, chilling it will make it more palatable.

This, allegedly, is the reason for 'Guinness Extra Cold'. A lot of people wanted to buy into the whole trendy Oirish Guinness drinkin' ting, but the snag was that they didn't actually like the flavour very much. So they came up with the idea of chilling it to save people the inconvenience of tasting it.

Australians have been doing that for years. "Beer" in pubs there is served incredibly cold. Of course the "Breweries" market that fact as being because Oz is a hot country. It often also gets served in small glasses so it doesn't warm up before you've finished it.

The real reason it's served so cold is to mask the taste of all the chemicals in it and the fact that it actually contains what I can only assume is human piss.....

[Jaded]

It's a good test of how good a beer is: drink it warm.

[bikenerd]

This, allegedly, is the reason for 'Guinness Extra Cold'. A lot of people wanted to buy into the whole trendy Oirish Guinness drinkin' ting, but the snag was that they didn't actually like the flavour very much. So they came up with the idea of chilling it to save people the inconvenience of tasting it.

I realised that Greene King had completely lost all interest in making anything approaching decent beer when I saw GK IPA extra cold in one of the old Morrell's pubs around here.

[Ham]

If anyone is looking for an interesting red to drink chilled, the Chinon from the Loire is worth a try, particularly if you can find a proper "earthy" one.  Bourgueil is another option, but St Nicholas de Bourgueil chilled would be a real waste.

Personally, I mostly prefer chilling with red wine.

[CommuteTooFar]

Some red wines are meant to be drunk cool.  Some Pinot Noir from Alsace certainly should be.

[her_welshness]

Jacobs Creek does a Sparkling Red Shiraz, which is just delicious.

[Regulator]

Some red wines are meant to be drunk cool.  Some Pinot Noir from Alsace certainly should be.

I'll have a dig round the cellar tonight (if I remember) as we have several reds which are specifically intended to be drunk chilled.