Keeping wines cool can heat up sales, supplier says
With the longer, sunnier days hopefully now upon us, many wine drinkers will switch to rosé and white.
But red still offers a massive sales opportunity in the coming weeks – provided licensees don’t leave it on the shelf.
Wine supplier Bibendum reckons bar and restaurant operators who add chilled red wine to their offer stand to benefit this summer.
According to the firm, whilst fuller-bodied reds with higher alcohol content and levels of tannins should not be chilled, those lower in tannin and body will actually taste better chilled.
As well as creating a wine which is “refreshing for summer sipping”, chilled reds are also said to pair well with summer dishes, especially fresh seafood and cold meats.
So how do you go about chilling down your reds for summer?
According to Bibendum, there is a ‘key’ temperature range depending on the wine; the firm suggested aiming for ‘lightly chilled’ (around 13ºC) for lighter reds – about 30 minutes in the fridge – up to 16ºC for slightly fuller reds.
The wine supplier said that by picking the right style of red to chill, a “change in season doesn’t have to mean a change in style”.
South African producer Journey’s End Vineyards recommended chilling a Shiraz/Mourvedre blend, highlighting its wine – The Huntsman – which is described as being “fruit-focused… backed up with some spicy flavours, resulting in an incredibly smooth finish on the palate”.
Brand development manager Tom Hanson-Smith said: “When I present The Huntsman to customers, I always recommend that they offer the wine chilled – this is when the fruit really ‘sings’ and you are presented with a very ‘pretty’ and delicious wine.”
