Every few years, the wine world is swept up in a new craze. In the 2010s, rosé rose to prominence, its popularity exploding with a 1433% sales increase in the United States alone. The early 2020s saw the rise of orange wine, transitioning from niche to mainstream in a matter of years. (The Guardian reported a staggering 437% month-on-month rise in London just this past summer.) Now, the latest trend captivating wine enthusiasts is chilled reds.
Grant Reynolds, a master sommelier and owner of Parcelle Wine Bar in Chinatown and Greenwich Village, has recently added a “chilled red of the day” to his menu. “It’s impressively trendy right now,” he observes. “For our wines by the glass, it’s always our number one or number two most popular order.” Just a few blocks away at Elvis, a new natural wine bar in NoHo by Golden Age Hospitality, a chilled Gamay is proving to be a runaway hit. “People are just loving it,” says C.E.O Jon Neidich.
Victoria James, a James Beard nominee, ensured a refreshing, light red was on the menu at the critically acclaimed Coqodaq, perfectly complementing their signature fried chicken. “We’ve seen this huge trend in general—people want something that’s a little bit more refreshing with a chill,” she notes. The most popular choices? Lambrusco and Beaujolais.
The tastemaker restaurant recommendation site The Infatuation even dedicated an entire guide to “Where To Go When Drinking Chilled Reds Is Your Whole Personality.” This anecdotal evidence is further supported by online alcohol marketplace Drizzly, which has observed a steady increase in orders for chillable reds like Gamay since 2020.
For those unfamiliar, chilled reds encompass red wine varietals that are best served at cellar or fridge temperature. Unlike full-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon, which benefits from a higher temperature to enhance its aromas, flavors, and tannins, lighter blends like Gamay, Lambrusco, Beaujolais, and Grenache thrive in a cooler environment.
While these wines have existed for centuries, their recent surge in popularity has some wondering why chilled reds feel like a new discovery. Reynolds attributes it to the accessible terminology, “It’s an easy go-to term for someone, versus saying, I want a light red or I want a full-bodied red or something like that.”
Neidich believes the popularity of natural wines and chilled reds is intertwined. “The natural wine movement is huge right now—and a lot of the natural reds have a lighter-bodied complexion and are best served on the cooler end. So as a result, the chilled red is something we’ve been seeing a lot more.”
The traditional perception of reds as a late fall and winter beverage, while whites and rosés were reserved for summer, has been challenged by the rise of lighter natural wines. This shift in perception has opened the door for red wine enjoyment year-round, thanks to the refreshing nature of chilled reds.
“Chilled reds have always been part of French drinking culture and a refreshing way to enjoy red wine year-round,” explains Neidich. James further emphasizes the evolving wine consumer, who is no longer content with room temperature reds. “They’re like, ‘Hey, this wine’s supposed to be 55 degrees!’ And so everyone’s kind of chilling down their reds to get it to that better temperature because it just factually tastes better. It’s more balanced, it’s more structurally sound, and it’s more delicious,” she says.
So, the next time you find yourself at a natural wine bar, don’t hesitate to embrace the trend and savor a glass (or two) of chilled red. This refreshing and delicious trend is redefining how we enjoy red wine, proving that a touch of chill can elevate the experience to new heights.
