Chilled red wine was the summer hit on balconies and terraces. But the trend doesn't end with the first falling leaves. We show you why lightly chilled reds shine in autumn of all seasons, which ones suit you and how to bring them to the right temperature.
If you drank your red wine chilled this summer, there is no need to go back to the old rule now. On the contrary: autumn is almost better suited to it. The days are mild, the evenings turn cooler, you sit outside with a blanket. Light, fresh glou-glou reds fit exactly this in-between season.
The thing about room temperature
"Red wine is drunk at room temperature." Everyone knows the line. It dates from a time when rooms were barely heated and "room" meant more like 15 to 18 °C. Today most flats sit at 21 to 23 °C, and as soon as the heating goes on in autumn that is the norm again. At that temperature red wine quickly seems heavy, alcoholic and flat. The alcohol steps forward, the fruit disappears.
A few degrees less work wonders here. Coolness brings freshness and structure, and the aromas stay clear instead of blurring.
The rule of thumb: 12 to 18 degrees
There is no "wrong", but there is an optimum, and it depends on the wine:
- Light, fruity, low in tannin (Beaujolais/Gamay, dry Lambrusco): 12–14 °C
- Medium (Spätburgunder/Pinot Noir without oak ageing): 14–16 °C
- Full-bodied, tannic (Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Primitivo, barrique-aged Spätburgunder): 16–18 °C
A fridge runs at around 4 to 7 °C. That is too cold for most reds, but ideal as a stopover.
Why cold works with red wine at all
In red wine it is above all the tannins that create that dry, "furry" feeling on the palate. At lower temperatures they come across as edgier and more bitter. So a tannic Cabernet turns rather unpleasant in the fridge. A low-tannin, fruity wine, on the other hand, becomes more refreshing without losing character.
The red for the in-between season is therefore not just any red, but a light, fruity red with little tannin and moderate alcohol.
The glou-glou effect meets autumn
In the natural-wine scene a term has taken hold for exactly these wines: glou-glou. It is onomatopoeic, the sound of drinking. It means uncomplicated, quaffable wines that you drink lightly chilled and without reverence. Three styles suit particularly well:
- Beaujolais: The Gamay grape delivers juicy fruit and little tannin. A cru like Régnié shows how much depth there is in such a "light" red. Our Hospices de Beaujeu Régnié is a good place to start. In keeping with the season: Beaujolais Nouveau traditionally arrives on the third Thursday of November and has long been drunk lightly chilled.
- Spätburgunder from the Kaiserstuhl: The Kaiserstuhl is volcanic in origin, one of Germany's warmest wine regions, and autumn is harvest time there. A Spätburgunder without oak ageing such as the GLATT Spätburgunder trocken brings cherry fruit and freshness and takes a light chill very well.
- Lambrusco (dry): Sparkling, fresh and underrated. Look for "secco" or "trocken" on the label, because many Lambruscos are sweet.
These wines mostly sit at 12 to 13 % alcohol. That suits a time when many people drink more consciously and would rather enjoy a second glass with lightness than one heavy one.
2020 Hospices de Beaujeu Régnié Burgundy Gamay Cuvée Red WineHospices de BeaujeuView product
€10,71
2022 Spätburgunder Dry Red Wine • GLATT • Quality Wine from Kaiserstuhl/Baden, GermanyWBK Weinbau · Weinkontor GlattView product
from €6,90
What goes on the table in autumn
The rule of thumb: the heartier and fattier the food, the more freshness the wine may bring. That is why light, chilled reds work so well with typical autumn cooking:
- Flammkuchen and onion tart: It doesn't always have to be Federweißer. The classic from Baden and Alsace matches a lightly chilled Spätburgunder surprisingly well.
- Mushroom dishes and pumpkin: Earthy, spicy flavours like the cherry fruit and fine acidity of Spätburgunder and Gamay.
- A proper cheese or charcuterie board: A cool Beaujolais cuts through the fat and stays juicy all the same.
The perfect temperature in three steps
- Fridge with a timer. Light reds go into the fridge 30 to 60 minutes before drinking. Fuller wines need only 15 to 20 minutes. Set an alarm so you don't forget them.
- Ice-water bath for the impatient. Fill a bucket or cooler with water and ice cubes and stand the bottle in it. In 10 to 15 minutes the wine is ready. Water works much faster than ice alone. The freezer works too, but only with a timer, because a forgotten bottle can burst.
- Too cold? No problem. Just leave it at room temperature for a moment and swirl it in the glass for a few minutes. The aromas come back on their own.
Autumn bonus: When it is around 10 °C outside, the balcony is your fridge. Put the bottle out for a while and taste now and then to see whether it is at the right temperature yet.
Keeping the wine at temperature
- Outdoors you don't need ice. The cool air keeps the wine fresh by itself. No ice cubes needed.
- Indoors, don't stand the wine next to a heat source. Otherwise it is back to room temperature after half an hour.
- Always hold the glass by the stem. A hand on the bowl warms the wine needlessly. (And the glass stays clean.)
- Pour smaller amounts and top up more often instead of filling the glass to the brim.
Our verdict
There is no wine police. Drink your red the way you like it. But if you discovered chilled red wine this summer, there is no reason to stop now. Start with a light, fruity example and give it 30 minutes in the fridge.
Try it now: GLATT Spätburgunder from the Kaiserstuhl from €6.75 →
For Beaujolais fans: Hospices de Beaujeu Régnié →
The full selection is under Chilled Reds.
