Summer is moving slowly but is definitely on its way and we need to transition our drinking to suit the balmy days ahead.  If you are from Melbourne, the 2022 winter has been long and damp which has seen us bunker down with the likes of the 2017 White Label Cabernet Sauvignon or the 2019 White Label Shiraz. But just as the jonquils and daffodils are bursting open we need to start opening up some chilled wines and Summer 2022 will be the summer of the chilled red.  Controversial maybe but don’t knock it until you try it.

Over the last couple of years, we have seen a big trend toward lighter bodied reds and these can be lovely when chilled.  Now when I say chilled, I don’t mean as cold as your beer (or bubbles) but just with a light frost on the bottle. For wine nerds, think between 10 and 15^oC. When thinking about a red to chill you need to choose wisely and find a wine with plenty of juicy fruit, little to no oak and soft tannins. Too much oak and tannin will make the wine look dull and hard when chilled.  Think Pinot Noir and Grenache. In the interest of science (and because we love our wine!) we have chilled our True Colours, Black Label and White Label Pinot Noirs to see how they look. The winner surprised us as it is the least likely candidate – the Black Label Pinot Noir. This is our gruntier style of Pinot but for some reason (against everything I have just counselled!) it tastes amazing when chilled. The 2021 Black Label Pinot Noir has recently been released so make sure you get some for your summer drinking repertoire. If you can drop in to the cellar door, ask for a chilled glass of Black Label Pinot Noir, sit back and let the world wash away for an hour or two.

We have another little surprise chillable red on its way – watch this space for more information!