When summer arrives and the temperatures start to rise, Italians begin to change their eating and drinking habits, including their choice of wine. Cold, lighter dishes become more popular, and in the same way, so do crisp, fruity wines that pair well with a pasta salad, for example, or a caprese salad of mozzarella cheese and tomato.
The rule is normally that white wine is served chilled, while red is served at room temperature. However, since there is an exception to every rule, this applies in the case of wine, too: there are some red wines that can be served chilled. In actual fact, serving them at lower temperatures allows them to express their full natural flavour and bouquet.
Not all reds, however, are suitable for chilling or for serving with a nice summer lunch. Here are some tips about which red wines are good to drink chilled.
The characteristics of light summer red wines, which make a bottle a good choice for serving in the summer too, aroma and acidity.
As far as aroma is concerned, the greater the bouquet and complexity on the nose of the bottle to be chilled, the better the result will be. Many aromatic reds are served at a lower temperature, since this brings out their character to the full. This applies above all in the case of fruitier wines, which are always a great success when served chilled during the summer months. In fact, they are lively and exuberant, with a low tannic strength and intriguing notes of red fruit. If you are wondering which wine to buy for the summer, then the right answer is always“a fruity red”.
Lastly, wines with a good degree of acidity or a persistent acidity in the finish are excellent to serve chilled, because lower temperatures bring out their crisp lightness.
Once you have looked carefully at the characteristics of light, fresh reds, you should still follow a few rules to make sure you do not end up with the wrong bottle in your fridge.
When it comes to temperatures for red wine in summer, the ideal is 11°C/12°C. Lower temperatures can in fact damage the bottle. This is why, unlike white wines, summer reds only need to be placed in the refrigerator a short time before serving.
And if you want to impress your guests, we advise against serving a vintage or aged wine chilled: bottles with a full-bodied flavour and a complex, potent structure will in fact lose that potency if cooled in the fridge. In this case, opt for a younger wine.
We have selected a list of the 4 best cool reds by Banfi to drink in summer. Let’s take a look at the characteristics and serving suggestions for Stilnovo, Centine Rosso, Col di Sasso and L’Altra wines by Banfi.
Banfi Stilnovo by Banfi is a crisp, light red with an unmistakable style. The perfect wine to serve with your summertime dinners. The structure is soft and delicate, while the tannins are barely perceivable. What does excite the taste buds, however, is the perfect balance of acidity and fruity notes, which are above all perceived in the finale, which is sapid and persistent.
Serve with pasta or rice dishes and with typical main courses from Mediterranean cuisine, especially richer recipes, and sometimes, even fish. The suggested serving temperature is 16°.
A very popular light summer red is Centine Rosso. This wine, made by Banfi, has both spicy and floral notes, together with a well-balanced, full body and good acidity, all features that make it perfect as a chilled wine to serve in summer. As well as bringing out the best in meat dishes, Centine Rosso pairs wonderfully well with appetisers (cheese and charcuterie platters) as well as with grilled meat. The suggested serving temperature is 16°.
Of all the chilled red wines Banfi Col di Sasso is one of the most popular, on account of its versatility. It is a blend of the best varieties of Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon and the result is a wine with a bold, intense aroma, with notes of liquorice, harmoniously coupled with hints of blackcurrant, wild strawberry and plum.
Banfi Col di Sasso is perfect for an aperitif with friends, served with mature cheese, to be enjoyed somewhere on a terrace, with some good music; it can also be appreciated with lighter meat dishes. The suggested serving temperature is 16°.
Finally, even Banfi L’Altra – Barbera d’Asti DOCG is the ideal way to accompany meat, especially flavoured red meat and pasta dishes with a ragout sauce. It is very well structured on the palate; the typical acidity that comes from barbera varieties is in harmony with the tannins and has a pleasing, persistent finale. This crisp refreshing wine is perfect for summer. The suggested serving temperature is 16°.
