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Lambrusco and other chilled wines for your weekend🍇

Lambrusco and other chilled wines for your weekend🍇

May 24, 2023

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Happy Wine Wednesday!

Today, we’re chilling out with Lambrusco and other chilled reds and chatting with Katie, aka @WinesThatSlam.

So pour yourself a cold glass and let’s get our wine nerd on!

Lambrusco and Cold Reds
BBQ and Chill

It’s almost Memorial Day, the start of summer-time BBQs with grilled meats, hot dogs, corn, and tequila-soaked watermelon (just me?).

Like most people, I also enjoy a good grill day in the sun with friends and family but…

Here’s the thing.

I really, really like drinking red wine with BBQ.

I love a good rosé pool day or a crisp white wine on the patio with a cheese plate as the sun sets. But I’m a red wine girl at heart, and I must eat my BBQ with reds. I also kind of hate drinking the usual red wine when it’s sunny and hot. I need something cool and crisp, not room-temp (or got-hot-in-the-sun temp).

I want my sun, my red wine, and something cold.

Enter: Chilled reds.

Many of you have probably been told that red wines are served at room temperature, and only whites, oranges, rosés, and bubbles should go into the fridge. The good news is that this is a total misconception, and there are a lot of red wines that could benefit from some chill time!

So what happens when you make a red wine cold?

A chilled red wine will have more pronounced fruity notes while the tannins (the bitter and astringent parts of red wine) will be toned down. This means that lighter, younger red wines that typically have more fruit and less tannins will be the best to drink cold! Think pinot noir and grenache. On the other hand, heavy, oak-aged reds like a full-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon or Syrah don’t normally do well in the fridge. With muted tannins, these wines will feel incomplete and out of balance.

And how chill is chilled?

Red wines can be served at the same temperature as white, orange, or rosé wines – meaning cold, but not icy! If you’re bringing the wine outside, pop it in the ice bucket if it’s warm out and try to keep it out of the sun if possible. As I’ve said before, everyone’s palates and preferences are different! You might like your wine a little more or less chilled than others, so don’t be discouraged if the first chilled red wine you try isn’t your cup of iced tea.

I’m going to list the red varietals that will be your go-to for chilled reds, but first I want to make sure I introduce you to the star of chilled reds (in my personal opinion): Lambrusco.

For those new to Lambrusco (or need a refresher), it’s a sparkling red wine from Emilia-Romagna in northern Italy – the region known for its parmigiano cheese, balsamic vinegar from Modena, Prosciutto from Parma, and Bolognese pasta with meat sauce from the capital, Bologna.

There’s a misconception that sparkling reds are sickeningly sweet due to some cheap Lambrusco that was poured throughout the U.S. in the 1970s. I’m here to tell you that Lambrusco can actually be dry and refreshing – and goes down dangerously easy!

Lambrusco refers to both the family of native Italian wine grapes in Emilia-Romagna (comprising over 60 varieties) and the region itself. It’s broken into five different appellations (or DOC, as it’s called in Italy) with each making their own style and blend of the sparkling wine. The wines are typically lighter-bodied with notes of strawberries and sour cherries, although some styles are fuller-bodied with more structured tannins and notes of blackberries, boysenberries, and dark chocolate. These Frizzante (lightly sparkling) wines also range from dry (Secco) to off-dry (Semi-secco) to sweet (Dolce or Amabile). Basically, there’s a Lambrusco for every occasion and palate!

As you might be able to tell from the food-heavy description of Emilia-Romagna, Lambrusco pairs wonderfully with all types of foods, from rich to light, and spicy to aromatic (try a Lambrusco Semi-secco with Thai coconut curry!). The lighter Lambruscos will be great for your charcuterie board with parmigiano cheese and prosciutto-wrapped figs, or maybe you’ll opt for a bolder style for your Bolognese pasta. Ready for dessert? That cherry pie is begging for some Lambrusco Semi-secco or Dolce.

Some quick tips for breaking down all of the different types of Lambrusco:

Bottles labeled “Lambrusco Reggiano DOC” are produced from Lambrusco grapes throughout the region
Lambrusco Grasporossa di Castelvetro DOC make some of the richest, boldest, and driest styles and will pair beautifully with BBQ ribs and lasagna
Lambrusco di Sorbara DOC is named after the varietal used and can also have up to 40% salamino grapes. These tend to be very delicate, light, and almost rosé-like in color. This one is perfect for spicy foods
Lambrusco Salamino di Santa Croce DOC is not very common in the United States, so definitely check it out if you find one! These will typically be a bit sweeter and will go great with burgers at your grill out
Lambrusco Mantovano DOC from Lombardy is typically dry and ruby-red with notes of violet
See a bottle that just says “Lambrusco”? That probably means it’s going to be very a simple and sweet wine

There’s plenty of Lambruscos of different styles and regions (and all quite affordable) so try a few different bottles to see what you like!

Now, as promised, here are some additional red wines that you can chill and enjoy with your Memorial Day BBQ (and beyond) -

Gamay: Try one from Oregon or South Africa, or go with the classic Beaujolais from France. Some producers also make sparkling gamay! Light and refreshing, you can start drinking this one before the food’s ready.
Valpolicella Classico: An Italian wine from the Veneto region
Dolcetto: An Italian varietal from Piedmont in the north. You’ll usually see it as “Dolcetto d’Alba” on the label
Barbera: Another Italian varietal from Piedmont
Lighter pinot noirs (think Oregon, Washington, and Burgundy)
Cabernet franc from the Loire Valley, France
Grenache
Zinfandel: You might not think of this bold wine as chilling well, but a chilled Zin will pair nicely with mealtime, like marinated meats, BBQ, and spicy chicken

Time to make some room in the fridge and check out the wine store!

Hit reply and know if you join me in enjoying a chilled red wine this long weekend. I want to know what you had!

Katie aka @WinesThatSlam

This interview has been edited for clarity.

Merobebe

Let’s start with a quick round of icebreakers! What's your favorite wine and food pairing?

Katie

A nice, crisp riesling with Chinese food! Sichuan is my fave.

Merobebe

If you could visit any wine region in the world, where would you go?

Katie

I would love to get the opportunity to go to Champagne, France. I have so much respect for what all winemakers do, but I would love to see first hand the old vineyards and meet the families that care for the land and make some of the best Grower Champagnes that we all know and love.

Merobebe

What would your wine superpower be?

Katie

In regards to winemaking, it would definitely have to be the ability to just look at a tank or a bin and have it be pressure washed with my eyes. In regards to selling wine, I wish I had the superpower to know everything about each and every bottle I look at.

Merobebe

What got you into natural wine?

Katie

What specifically interested me about natural wine is that at its core, it is the purest and most authentic way to make wine – nothing added and nothing taken away. Natural wine also demands support and respect for the land in its ability to grow this beautiful thing we all know and love, which is just such a beautiful concept to me.

Merobebe

What are some of the biggest misconceptions around natural wine, and how can the wine industry better support and advertise natural wine?

Katie

I say this in the context of small, caring producers, but I think one of the biggest things that people do not understand about natural wine is that wine is an agricultural product. There is a growing season, farming that needs to take place and, like any agricultural product, it’s at the mercy of Mother Nature.

Wine has this reputation of being this beautiful, elegant product – which it is – but what people need to realize is that real people are behind the small, caring wines that we all love. It's about, Oh, now we have to pick a day earlier because it's supposed to rain the day we were supposed to pick. Ope, there's a heat wave coming, now we're going to go take the brix [sugar measurement] a day earlier because things are going to ripen faster.

It's about farming and adapting to nature, not the other way around. There is only one picking season each year. You pick and make wine, and that is a producer's product for the whole year until it's time to restart the process next year. That's part of what makes natural wine beautiful in my opinion. It's three long, grueling months but once a wine of that vintage is gone, it's gone. And it's going to be different next year because it's a whole new year.

At the end of the day, wine is beautiful and at its core pretty simple, but it's the people and the places and the earth that enable us to have this beautiful, beautiful juice from the land.

Merobebe

What are some tips for getting into natural wine? Are they all going to be "funky" and "weird?"

Katie

I think one of the best tips for getting into natural wine is to ask a lot of questions. Natural wine isn’t this new method of making wine, it’s the original way of making wine. Reading, tasting and asking questions is the best way to learn! I was scared that all natural wine would be funky or “off,” but there is such an art and science behind it. When it’s made well, which can be harder to do vs. conventional wine, the terroir and the fruit shine bright and the wines are absolutely beautiful.

Merobebe

As consumers become more eco-conscious, do you think natural wine (or at least more natural wine) will become more popular?

Katie

I definitely think that natural wine aligns beautifully with being more eco-conscious. Winemaking uses a lot of water and resources, but natural wine uses organic grapes, is hand harvested instead of machine harvested, uses no pesticides, and creates compost; the list goes on and on. Natural wine reminds us that wine is an agricultural product, a crop with a growing cycle that is directly affected by the weather 365 days of the year.

Merobebe

What has been the biggest adjustment from working on the wine production side to the sales side?

Katie

I think one of the biggest adjustments from the production to the sales side is that people generally don't understand how much hard work, planning, and cost goes into making wine. They don't understand how long it takes to make wine, and how much work goes into each and every bottle. Wine has this really rosy colored reputation and obviously, if you don't see the other side of things, rosy colored is all you see. But it is fun to see and learn about a different side of the business, as my wine journey is just beginning!

Merobebe

How do you think the wine industry can better address issues of accessibility and affordability for a wider range of customers?

Katie

Ooh, what a great question. When I first got into wine, I was really frustrated by how pretentious and unattainable the wine industry seemed to me. I do think that it's slowly getting better. It’s why I created @WinesThatSlam, where I determine if a wine "slams” and write silly things about wine to make it more fun and relatable. Writing tasting notes like, “pair this babe with a cozy blanket and frozen pizza” with a picture from whatever '80s movie I'm watching is my best effort to make wine fun and accessible.

In terms of affordability, as we're all aware, everything is more and more expensive these days and wine is no different. I think being unafraid to taste, make connections with the community, and just reading and talking to people is a way to at least feel empowered to ask questions and find your place in wine, whatever that may be. Financial accessibility is huge, but small producers are having to charge more money in order to stay in business. With that in mind, there are still so many amazing wines that you can get that are between $15 - $30.

Merobebe

Anything else you’d like to share?

Katie

Support your favorite wine makers! Follow their Instagrams, buy wine directly from them, or at the very least be conscious about only going to local bottle shops! Natural winemakers are doing their best and running a business. If you can directly support their business, that's the best way to show some love!

Get a wine-related movie or book pairing for your weekend.

Today’s pairing is Sweetbitter by Stephanie Danler

This bestselling novel tells the coming-of-age tale of 22 year old Tess who moves to New York City from a town “so small you couldn’t find it on a generous map.” When she lands a job working at one of the most exclusive Manhattan restaurants, she dives headfirst into her education on champagne and cocaine, love and lust, and dive bars and fine dining rooms.

Grab a glass (or two) and get ready to follow Tess's journey in the glitzy, dirty and high-adrenaline world of food and wine.

Get Sweetbitter from a local bookstore here!