With the Midwest heating up this time of year, you might be reaching for a cold white wine, a rosé, or even mix up a wine cocktail (which are great options!), and rightly so - drinking room temperature red wine when the temps are in the 80s or 90s doesn’t really cool you down if that’s what you’re looking for. Most red wines are best served at room temperature or “cellar temperature”, which is just slightly chilled, around 55 degrees or so.

Chilling wine to cooler temperatures tends to intensify acidity, but it also boosts the astringency of tannins, which can lead to an unappealing taste sensation if you chill the wrong red. But did you know that some reds taste better and were specifically crafted to be served chilled? We have a round up of some delicious Iowa red wines that are perfect for patio sippin’!

99 Bottles Winery - The Second Child 
Second to no one, this child has a unique taste with cherry and berry flavors and a rich ruby color.   There are also hints of its wild grape ancestors in every drop.  Second Child is produced from our own vineyard Frontenac grapes.  Try it chilled with your favorite BBQ. Like many second child personalities, it tastes like "competition and excellence".

​Tabor HomeWinery - Barn Dance Red
This red wine is soft, has a hint of sweetness and is a very drinkable medium bodied red wine produced from our vineyards. If you enjoy soft, rounded Merlots, you will love Barn Dance Red. Barn Dance Red has been Tabor Home Winery’s bestselling wine by far for 22 years. Part of the popularity is that Barn Dance Red is an introductory red wine for white wine drinkers.

Eagles Landing Winery - Mrs. Sippi
Semi-Sweet red wine made from the Frontenac grape. Mrs. Sippi is sweeter than Mr. Sippi because  "Mrs." is always sweeter than "Mr." Serve chilled.

Glyn Mawr Winery - Winemaker's Red
This light-bodied wine is slightly sweet with a hint of fruit!

​Breezy Hills Winery - Cabana Boy
Have your very own cabana boy!  From St Croix and Concord grapes, a full bodied sweet red wine.  Serve chilled.

Follow These Basic Rules For [Chilling] Reds:

• Pick lighter bodied, fruity reds to serve chilled. Heavier, more robust, oaky or spiced reds aren’t the ones you’re looking to throw in the frig.

• Stick with young, semi-dry to sweeter reds. That aged dry red you’ve been saving since your wedding is not the best choice in this case!

• No need to get them tooth-crackin’ cold - a half hour to an hour or so in the refrigerator is plenty to get them down to temperature enough to enjoy outdoors on the patio.

• If you have bottles to spare and want to try it out before serving at a party or to a crowd, try a side-by-side tasting to see which temperature you prefer your reds. Grab two bottles of the same red Iowa wine, one at room temperature and one chilled. You should notice that the chilled red may seem lighter, fruitier and easier to drink in general and the room temperature red may come off a bit hot (in terms of alcohol, this means you can almost taste the alcohol content on the tongue), the spice notes will be more apparent and tannins will be more subdued. Don’t get us wrong, either way you decide to enjoy your red wines in the summertime is fine, as long as you’re enjoying it!

Cheers!