Why you should be chilling your red wine this summer — a conversation with Bryan Laing of Hazelfern Cellars
When the sun is high and the grill is fired up, most people reach for a crisp white or rosé. But a growing number of Pacific Northwest winemakers are championing something unexpected: chilled red wine. Light, fruity and refreshingly versatile, these reds are redefining what we drink in warm weather.
We sat down with Bryan Laing, co-owner and winemaker at Hazelfern Cellars, to explore why chilling certain reds can transform your summer sipping experience. From the best grapes to chill, to food pairings and common myths, Bryan breaks down everything you need to know about this trend — and why it’s here to stay.
Sip: Let’s start with the basics — can red wine really be served chilled?
Bryan Laing: Absolutely! We love chilling lighter red wines in summer. A bit of chill brings out the fruitiness and bright acidity in lighter reds and adds a refreshing factor for warm summer days. Chilled reds are perfect for summer barbecues with friends and family.
Sip: What makes red wine a good candidate for chilling?
BL: Chilling enhances the fruitiness and acidity of lighter-bodied reds. Think of red wines made from grapes like Gamay Noir, Pinot Noir, Zweigelt and Trousseau. In general, avoid chilling bigger reds like Cabernet Sauvignon as colder temps can actually increase the perception of harsher tannins and make the wine taste a bit flat.
Sip: Are there any specific Pacific Northwest varietals or blends you recommend for chilling?
BL: Yes! The Willamette Valley is home to several grape varieties that are excellent served with a chill. The cool climate in the Willamette Valley makes for red wines that are lighter in body, lower in tannin, and bright with juicy acidity. Pinot Noir and Gamay Noir thrive in the Willamette Valley and are excellent choices to serve chilled.
Sip: Can you name a few bottles from the Pacific Northwest that you think really shine when chilled?
BL: At Hazelfern, we make several Pinot Noirs, a Gamay Noir, and a Trousseau that are all lighter-bodied reds with a focus on bright acidity — wines that are perfect served with a chill. Our Willamette Valley Pinot Noir is our favorite casual Tuesday night wine, and it features less new oak aging than our single vineyard and Prime Cut reserve wines (which also makes it the most affordable). With less new oak, it’s the perfect candidate to serve chilled, as it has brighter fruit and fewer tannins.
The Pacific Northwest produces some amazing options for chilled red wine. A few options to put in the refrigerator are 2023 Hundred Suns Old Eight Cut Pinot Noir, 2024 Hundred Suns Gamay Noir, 2024 Division-Villages Les Petits Fers (Gamay Noir fermented in a carbonic style), 2022 Division Trousseau, 2023 Gamine Grenache, Columbia Valley AVA, and the 2023 Alton Grenache, from Columbia Valley AVA.
Sip: What’s the ideal temperature to chill red wine? How cold is too cold?
BL: Ideally, the wine should feel cool to the touch, but not ice cold — 50-55 degrees is ideal. That said, we’re not huge rule followers, and we often just throw chillable reds in the ice bucket at barbecues with friends. Although ice-cold temps will mute the wine a bit, it only takes a couple of minutes on a hot summer day to warm up in your glass. Ice-cold wine is also refreshing!
Sip: Do you recommend decanting or letting chilled reds warm up a bit in the glass?
BL: Ice-cold temps will mute the wine a bit and enhance the tannins even on a lighter red, so letting the wine warm up in the glass for 5-10 minutes is ideal. Once the wine is cool to the touch, but not ice cold, you’re in the zone.
Sip: What foods pair well with chilled red wines?
BL: Our favorite chillable red wines are light and fruity with bright acidity which means they are also super versatile with food. When served chilled, reds do a great job of cutting through fat and refreshing your palate. They go great with cheeses like brie, chevré and compté, and are delicious with charcuterie boards that have prosciutto, salami, coppa, bread, hazelnuts and pickled veggies. Chilled reds also go great with lighter proteins like grilled chicken and fish, and are a refreshing addition to barbecue staples and casual Tuesday night meals like burgers and pizza.
Sip: Are these wines typically made differently than traditional reds?
BL: Most of these wines are made the same as traditional reds, but sometimes wines like Gamay Noir are fermented differently through a process called carbonic maceration, which enhances the fruitiness and reduces the tannins of the wine. With carbonic maceration, the winemaker puts fresh grapes into a sealed fermentation container with CO2 and lets the grapes ferment from the inside of each berry without macerating or crushing the skins with the juice. This process reduces the amount of extraction of skin tannins in the wine, and lends itself to lighter-bodied wines with enhanced fruitiness — the perfect type of wine to serve chilled.
Sip: Any misconceptions you’d like to clear up about chilling red wine?
BL: Myth #1: Red Wine should never be chilled. The truth is that many red wines taste better when they are chilled, especially light-bodied, fruity and low-tannin wines like Pinot Noir, Gamay Noir and Trousseau.
Myth #2: Room temperature is ideal for red wines. The fact is that “room temperature” originates from old European standards and often refers to a range of 55-65 degrees. Many modern homes are 75+ degrees in the summer and those warmer temperatures can make red wine taste flabby and hot.
Myth #3: Chilling a wine damages it. The truth is that chilling a red wine does not damage it. Ice-cold temperatures may temporarily mute the wine, but all of those flavors come back as soon as the wine has warmed in the glass for a few minutes.
Myth #4: Never serve a red wine with fish. False. Lighter-bodied red wines with bright acidity and served chilled are perfect for fish like salmon, tuna or even anchovy-based dishes.
Sip: What do you see in the future for chilled reds in the Pacific Northwest?
BL: The future is bright! With summers getting warmer and warmer, cool climate wines from the Pacific Northwest and the Willamette Valley are the perfect refresher for those hot days.
