Anthony Giglio holds a firm belief that no red wine should ever be sipped at room temperature. He asserts, “Nothing off the retail shelf should ever be drunk at room temperature. Ever.” An idea that challenges many long-held beliefs.

Giglio has been breaking wine temperature norms for years, particularly at his seminar during the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen, known as Chilled Reds for Hot Days. He aims to debunk what he claims to be a misunderstood notion that has translated cellar temperature into whatever the room temperature is at the time of serving.

He isn't fond of a 75°F Cabernet being served, for instance. Giglio argues that, "Acid and fruit fall away at these temperatures. Tannin and alcohol spike. The wine tastes hot. And then people think they don’t like red wine in summer.”

According to Giglio, red wines fall into two categories: high acid, low tannin (e.g., Pinot Noir, Schiava, Frappato) and high tannin, lower acid (e.g., Cabernet, Nebbiolo, Zinfandel). Both kinds can benefit from chilling, though the "safe zone" differs for each. Giglio himself keeps his wine fridge at 55°F.

Dispelling a familiar wine myth, he explains that alcohol tends to stand out more at elevated temperatures while fruit and acid become more noticeable at cooler ones. He points out, “We don’t talk about alcohol in white wine because we’d never dare drink it at 65°F. But serve a Chardonnay at 60°F and suddenly you smell heat.”

Indeed, other wine experts affirm Giglio's sentiments towards chilled red wine. Samantha Capaldi, an Arizona-based wine educator, appreciates all her red wines chilled, including Cabernet. “A slight chill makes everything more enjoyable - especially when it’s hot out,” she notes.

Jon McDaniel, a Chicago sommelier and the mind behind Second City Soil, is in agreement. "Cool red wine is refreshing. Warm red wine can taste like fruit soup," he shares.

In Giglio's seminars, he illustrates his point with a simple experiment. By tasting the same wine at varying temperatures, he proves the superiority of the chilled version. Participants invariably choose the chilled over room temperature wine.

As for food pairing, Giglio insists that chilling doesn't change the rules so much as it improves the wine. Keeping it cool just brings everything back into balance.

In the upcoming Aspen seminar, curious wine lovers can expect a gamut of chilled reds, from Alto Adige's Schiava to Morgon's Beaujolais. And even the surprising choice of Barbaresco. Because the point of it all, Giglio insists, is that "a little chill is always welcome".

Emphasizing his point to the end, he reiterates, “Every wine must be chilled somewhat before it's drunk… If you serve any wine too warm, you're doing such a disservice to the wine and to your own pleasure sensors.”