The 15 Best Chillable Red Wines for 2025

The once-obscure (and slightly frowned upon) concept of chilling red wine is now undoubtedly a full-blown category. The popular new style of “chillable reds” has gained favor with wine pros and casual drinkers alike over the past several years for its juicy, easy-drinking profile. And with this newfound popularity, there are more chillable reds to explore than ever before.

When the category first took off, many looked to regions and varieties historically associated with cool-climate, light-bodied reds, with Gamay from Beaujolais setting the standard. But the style has come a long way from being pigeonholed into the Beaujolais Nouveau box. As interest in chillable reds has grown, the industry has quickly shifted to fit the demand. Importers and wine shops are bringing in more examples from off-the-beaten path regions: Garnacha from Sierra de Gredos; Nerello Mascalese from Sicily; and Pineau d’Aunis from the Loire Valley, to name a few featured on this list.

Plus, more winemakers are working with the “chillable” style in mind, implementing techniques like carbonic maceration and co-fermentation to give their wines a fresher, more fruit-forward profile. Without this trend, it’s likely we never would’ve seen a carbonic blend of Zinfandel and Carignan from California or a Merlot and Chenin Blanc co-ferment from Virginia. But in the ever-expanding world of chillable reds, these wines are here, and they’re delicious.

From a range of expressions of Gamay to some more unexpected bottlings, here are 15 of the best chillable reds to try in 2025.

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Within this scope, VinePair’s tasting and editorial staff samples thousands of bottles every year. This ensures we have a close eye on what’s new and exciting. Crucially, it also provides us with the context needed to distinguish the simply good from the truly great, whether from a quality or value-for-money perspective — or both.

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How We Taste

We believe in tasting all products as our readers typically would: with full knowledge of the producer and — importantly — price. Our tastings are therefore not conducted blind.

VinePair’s tasting panel evaluates every wine on its aromas, flavors, structure, balance, and quality. We also consider whether or not the wine showed typicity for its specific grape or region.

How We Compiled This List

In order to provide our readers with the most comprehensive and thoroughly tested list of the best chillable red wines to buy, VinePair invited producers, distributors, and PR firms working on their behalf to send samples for consideration. These bottles were submitted free of charge — producers didn’t pay to submit nor did VinePair pay for the products. All were requested with the clear understanding that submission does not guarantee inclusion in the final list.

For the chillable red wine roundup, we assigned a score to each product on a 100-point scale based on the quality and intensity of its aromas, flavors, texture, and finish. Then we reviewed all scores and compiled an editorially driven list that meets our criteria of best chillable red wines to buy right now. Each wine was assessed on quality, price, and availability to compile the final list.

The Best Value Chillable Red

Division-Villages ‘Les Petits Fers’ Gamay Noir 2024

Oregon-based Division Winemaking Company crafts its “Division-Villages” collection as a tribute to the easy-drinking village-level wines of France. In this vein, the Les Petits Fers bottling is made with Gamay, fermented using the carbonic maceration method similar to the beloved easy-drinking wines of Beaujolais.

We keep coming back to this wine vintage after vintage for its delightfully juicy profile and surprising depth. It manages to bring bright red fruit notes — raspberries, strawberries, watermelon — but with deliciously complex earthy, herbaceous notes that kick the wine up a notch. For $26, it’s the perfect any-occassion chillable red —whether you’re casually sipping it at a backyard cookout or sitting with the bottle and observing how it evolves in the glass.

Average price: $26
Rating: 93

The Best Splurge Chillable Red

Matthiasson Wines Napa Valley Schioppettino 2023

Schioppettino is a rare grape typically found in northeastern Italy’s hilly Friuli region. Steve and Jill Matthiasson — the farmer-winemaker duo behind the Matthiasson brand — were so taken with the wines of this region that they worked to plant Schioppettino in their organically farmed estate vineyard in Napa Valley, along with several other Friulian varieties like Ribolla Gialla. (The Matthiasson skin-contact Ribolla Gialla wowed us during our orange wine tastings.)

Schioppettino is known for its distinct peppery aroma, reminiscent of a Northern Rhône Syrah, and this bottling delivers. It opens with wafts of freshly cracked black peppercorn on the nose and the palate builds on this profile, adding brambly blackberry notes. If you’re typically a Syrah drinker, Schioppettino is the chillable red for you.

It might seem like an odd item to splurge on, but Matthiasson has one of the only plots of this grape in California, let alone anywhere outside Italy, and this wine’s completely distinct flavor profile is, in our opinion, very much worth the money.

Average price: $59
Rating: 94

The Best of the Rest:

The Best Chillable Reds Under $25

Pray Tell Fruit Snacks 2024

Last year, we wrote about Pray Tell’s delectable, fruit-forward “Fruit Snacks” made with a blend of grapes from Oregon. Well, a lot has changed since then for Pray Tell. In the fall of 2024, winemaker Tom Caruso packed up shop and moved the entire operation to Philadelphia just in time for harvest. So this vintage of Fruit Snacks is actually a field blend of Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Pinot Noir, and Riesling, all grown in Pennsylvania. The palate is all vibrant fruit, with cherry, blueberry, and cranberry notes. And the tannins, if any are present, are totally undetectable (in the best way). We’re loving that Pray Tell is now bringing us bright, crunchy chillable reds from an entirely new state.

Average price: $20
Rating: 90

Laura Lardy Gourde à Gamay 2023

Gamay from France’s Beaujolais region is the epitome of the chillable red category. And this playful bottling from winemaker Laura Lardy is one we gravitate to year after year. Lardy produces some richer, more structured expressions of Gamay that could stand to age, but the Gourde à Gamay is meant to be enjoyed young and fresh. It pops with notes of underripe strawberry, blackberry, and earth, with a moderate alcohol level of 12.5 percent ABV.

Average price: $23
Rating: 90

Elios Glou Glou Rosso 2023

If you come across a bottle that boasts the term “Glou Glou” on the label, it’s pretty safe to assume it will be a chillable red. And this Nerello Mascalese from Sicily certainly fits the bill. The nose offers Concord grape juice and black cherry aromas and the palate brings a mix of ripe cherry, cranberry, and blood orange flavors. There’s a channel of minerality coursing through the rich fruit notes, framed by Italy’s typical high acidity and grippy tannins. Lean into that vibe and enjoy this wine with a fresh tomato-based pasta dish.

Average price: $24
Rating: 90

Las Jaras Wines Slipper Sippers Nouveau 2024

Las Jaras is one of the few producers in California that’s adapted the idea of making a “nouveau” wine each year. These wines are the first to be bottled from the harvest, similar to the fresh, young bottlings from Beaujolais that brought so much attention to the style. The unconventional blend of Zinfandel, Carignan, Petite Sirah, and Vermentino is fermented with carbonic maceration, lending to a juicy, fruit-forward character. The result is a light-bodied wine that arrives in the glass a deep magenta hue. It pops with notes of mixed berries — from tart wild strawberries (tops and all) to ripe raspberries and muddled blackberries — lifted by a refreshing acidity.

Average price: $24
Rating: 90

The Best Chillable Reds Under $30

Commonwealth Crush Co. Family Meal 2024

This wine was designed to be a chillable red. It’s a co-ferment of both red and white grapes from Virginia including Merlot, Chenin Blanc, and Sauvignon Blanc with a touch of Vidal Blanc and some other miscellaneous varieties. They come together to make a wonderfully light-bodied red wine with notes of red apple skins, watermelon, and raspberry liqueur. The bright acidity and touch of tannin make the wine incredibly food-friendly, helping it live up to its “Family Meal” name.

Average price: $25
Rating: 90

Field Recordings Freddo 2023

Field Recordings’ Freddo bottling channels Coors’s iconic 2007-era marketing strategy with its temperature-sensitive color-changing label. In this case, once the “Freddo” on the front label turns blue, that means the wine has hit the optimal “chilled red” temp. Once the time is right to pop the bottle, the Sangiovese-based blend from California gives crunchy red fruit notes along with some savory hints of dried herbs and minerals.

Average price: $25
Rating: 89

Les Tètes Pineau d’Aunis 2024

Pineau d’Aunis is one of the unsung red grapes of France’s Loire Valley. Though Cabernet Franc and Pinot Noir might reign supreme in the cool-climate area, this rare grape has grabbed the attention of chillable red lovers over the past several years. This expression from Les Tètes shows that while a wine can be light in body and alcohol level (at just 10.5 percent ABV), it can still offer impressive depth of flavor. The nose opens with spiced red fruits and the palate reveals layers of raspberries, cranberries, blood orange, and white pepper. Totally quaffable yet surprisingly complex.

Average price: $28
Rating: 92

The Best Chillable Reds Under $50

Brij Wines Oso Rouge 2024

In some contexts, a Grenache and Mourvèdre blend might sound like a hearty, full-bodied endeavor, but on California’s breezy, oceanfront San Luis Obispo Coast, these grapes put a much lighter foot forward. This example comes from Brij Wines, a project from renowned winemaker Rajat Parr that focuses on the fresh, vibrant wines of the SLO Coast. The nose is perfumed with aromas of cherries, dried flowers, thyme, and pepper. The palate delivers pronounced strawberry flavors that develop over time from stemmy and tart to macerated and rich. Seamless tannins and a moderate 12.5 percent ABV keep it light and drinkable.

Average price: $32
Rating: 92

Las Pedreras Los Arroyuelos Garnacha 2023

Winemaker Bárbara Requejo Frutos taps into the terroir of Spain’s high-elevation Sierra de Gredos region to craft singular, elegant expressions of Garnacha. She makes the Las Pedreras wines in collaboration with Guzmán Sánchez de la Parra, a native of the local mountain village Villanueva de Avila. The Los Arroyuelos bottling is made with Garnacha sourced from seven organically farmed, 70-plus-year-old vineyards in the villages of Villanueva, Navatalgordo, and Burgohondo. The wine is delicate at first, so we recommend throwing it in a decanter or keeping the bottle open for about 20 to 30 minutes to let its wonderful character show. If you wait, you’ll be rewarded with notes of rich red cherries in syrup, wild strawberries, black raspberries, and an intense minerality.

Average price: $32
Rating: 93

Catch & Release Wines Supernova Gamay 2023

A cheeky call-out to Chappell Roan’s hit “Red Wine Supernova,” this juicy Gamay is exactly what we’d like to drink while bopping to the upbeat song. The grapes for this wine are sourced from the organically farmed Baytree Lane Vineyard on the Sonoma Coast and fermented with carbonic maceration. This lends to a wonderfully easy-drinking profile, coming in at only 11.5 percent ABV. Though it’s light on its feet, it still delivers punchy flavors of ripe raspberries and blackberries, red plum, and a touch of spice. A textbook Gamay from a slightly unexpected region.

Average price: $34
Rating: 92

Scar of the Sea Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir Co-Ferment 2024

This quaffable co-ferment is made with 65 percent Pinot Gris and 35 percent Pinot Noir sourced from the stunning Bassi Vineyard — a biodynamically farmed site on the SLO Coast with a notable ocean view. The combination of these two related grapes brings out the freshness in each other, presenting with candied red fruit like watermelon Jolly Ranchers, cherries, and crunchy cranberries.

Average price: $36
Rating: 92

Les Foulards Rouges La Soif Du Mal Rouge 2024

Another great example of Grenache’s lighter side, this bottle comes from the Roussillon region in southern France. Coming from young vines planted on granite soils, this wine is meant to be drunk now (preferably with friends in a backyard). It opens with brambly blackberry and raspberry notes, complemented by a savory, earthy layer. Though the palate is primarily dark-fruited, the bright acidity and moderate ABV keep it refreshing and gulpable rather than weighty and jammy.

Average price: $37
Rating: 91

Outward Wines Presqu’ile Vineyard Gamay 2023

Another stunning expression of Gamay, this bottle comes from the Presqu’ile Vineyard in Santa Barbara’s windswept Santa Maria Valley area. Though it’s still medium-bodied and refreshing, this bottling shows a peek into the more serious side of Gamay. Aromas of black peppercorns, herbs, cherry, and vanilla fill the nose. The palate brings juicy raspberry and watermelon notes, still tinged with a savory kick. This is the wine for when you’re looking for something easy-drinking that still delivers on complexity.

Average price: $38
Rating: 94

FAQs

What makes a red wine chillable?

Wines that have a fruit-forward, aromatic flavor profile make great candidates for chilling. You also want to make sure that the wine isn’t too high in tannin, as serving tannic wines at a cold temperature can be a bit abrasive. If the wine has good acidity, that is always a plus, too, as it enhances the refreshment and drinkability factors of the wine.

What are the best red wines to chill?

Although it is important to keep in mind that all red wines should be served slightly cooler than room temperature, there are certain wines that benefit from an even longer chill. Factors to consider include grape variety and winemaking technique. For example, high-acid, fruit-forward grapes like Gamay, Mencia, Frappato, Pinot Noir, and Zweigelt make for great chilled reds. Wines made with the carbonic maceration method are also prime for enjoying chilled, since this fermentation method brings out the wine’s intense fruity characteristics.

The article The 15 Best Chillable Red Wines for 2025 appeared first on VinePair.