Cool customers: The top red wines to chill

Some Californian Pinots are more akin to Merlot in their weight and extraction, but this one is oh so elegant, its dark colour fooling you into thinking it might be heavy when the breezy floral perfume and bright red cherry and raspberry flavours are anything but. Sea breeze, crushed pebbles and a bergamot bite deliver great freshness and the tannins are firm but fine.

Although light and clear, this is very complex, combining the juiciness of fresh strawberries and cranberries with a deep savouriness, reminding me of capers, rye bread, smoke and slate. Made from co-fermented native grapes Listán Negro, Listán Blanco and Negramoll, it's concentrated and powerful, yet there's hardly any tannin, making it great to serve chilled.

This bottling is a blend crafted to highlight the brilliance of the Eola-Amity Hills AVA. Pinot Noir from Seven Springs, Sojeau, Temperance Hill, and X Novo Vineyards shows savoury character and minerality, signatures to the Eola-Amity Hills. A smoky flint aromatic leans into blood orange peel, pomegranate molasses and purple floral aromas. The palate is wildly savoury, with a melange of dried herbs, fresh fennel, liquorice, and a touch of crushed stone minerality haloed by fresh mint to finish.

When left to show its delicate side, Cinsault is an ideal red to chill. Here, whole-bunch fruit from a single-vineyard planted in 1966 gives great concentration and energy in a light-bodied frame, exuding fragrant wild strawberry, red liquorice and musky spice. Angus Paul's 2022 Pinotage (£18.99, The Wine Reserve) is another fridge favourite.

You won't believe it until you taste it: complex old-vine Cabernet Sauvignon made like a vibrant Beaujolais! A gorgeous rhubarb-pink hue then scents of blackcurrants and ripe plum that continue on the effortless, light-bodied palate, joined by thirst-quenching flavours of orange bitters. A joyful summer sipper.

Portugal’s Castelão grape has long been misunderstood, producers not taking advantage of its freshness and energy. António Marques da Cruz and Tiago Teles counter this disservice with this vibrant, nuanced Vinho de Mesa expression. Crisp acidity carries red and blue fruits while the zesty tannins, lined with savoury wild herbs, build a beautiful framework, light yet robust.

Textbook Sonoma Pinot Noir, with iodine, sea breeze freshness lining the fleshy fruit core of wild strawberry, red plum and cranberry. Polished and smooth, with round edges and lifting floral nuances (violets, jasmine and crushed rose petals). Best enjoyed slightly chilled to bring the beautiful, chiselled tannins to the fore. Succulent and subtly spicy finish.

From a cool vintage on the south-facing Clayhill vineyard in Essex, this is a more ethereal approach for the Battersea-based urban winery's signature Pinot Noir. Freshly picked hawthorn berry, raspberry and a hint of cedar. A lightweight palate of juicy red berries seasoned with sweet herbs, well balanced and delicate with a soft tannic grip. An elegant, refined summer drink.

From 70-year-old vines in Minervois' La Livinière cru, this 100% Grenache is fragrant and lively. A very short maceration has produced an ethereal wine that combines the ripe sunny fruit of the 2022 vintage with notes of dried rosemary and thyme. Complex enough to take on the deep, earthy flavours of Puy lentils or slow-cooked stews, but also light and juicy enough for smoky barbecued meats.

Red Sancerre is a classic choice when it comes to reds to serve slightly chilled. This one, made by a small family domaine based in Bué, is quite generous in style – a character of the 2019 vintage – and seduces with ripe raspberry and blueberry fruit. There's an attractive chalkiness to it too, and the structure to handle food. Textbook.

<p>Loved this new addition to the Tesco line-up, great value. A perfect red for summer drinking, this is 100% Cabernet Franc. There's a slight purple tinge in the glass, and then a waft of raspberry and summer fruit when you swirl. It's not all about fruit though – Cabernet Franc often displays a crunchy, peppery, leafy note, and you find that here, keeping it fresh and lively. The perfect summer mouthful, and just 12.5% alcohol. You could chill it slightly – just 15 minutes in the fridge – to make it even more refreshing on a warm day. Would be lovely with charcuterie.</p>

No discussion of chilled red wines is complete without a nod to the sparkling wines of Lambrusco. This metodo classico from 90% Lambrusco Salamino di S Croce and 10% Lambrusco di Sorbara offers dark cherry and berry aromas and flavours, with a hint of dark chocolate and a beautiful herbal outline. Succulent and gastronomic.

Originally working with his brother Julien, Antoine Sunier studied oenology before his first job as winemaker for Jean-Claude Lapalu in Brouilly. He proceeded to establish his small estate of 5ha based in Régnié. Sunier’s Régnié comes from about 3ha of vines with an average age of 45 years, planted at about 350m. After eight days of carbonic maceration, the wine ferments with natural yeasts, prior to maturation for seven months, 50% in concrete tanks, 50% in older barriques. Andy Howard MW: Initially this seems quite straightforward and easy on the palate, but there is good purity and it develops in the glass. Refreshing mid-palate with leafy, floral notes. Melania Battiston: A Pinot Noir-like nose with Beaujolais features of elegant red floral notes of rose and hibiscus, orange zest and crushed cranberries. Lifted, elegant and ethereal. Sublime. Victoria Daskal: Fragrant violets, damsons and warm caramel aromas. Almost dainty as it dances across your palate; silky tannins; perfumed berry essence. Exceptional quality.

A chillable Rioja? Yes indeed. Artuke’s semi-carbonic Tempranillo (co-fermented with 5% Viura) is pure joy in a glass, with palate-cleansing freshness, cheeky elegance and subtle rusticity. Slightly chilled it shows lively zestiness (blood orange and pink grapefruit). Delicious chalky tannins frame the pomegranate, wild strawberry and red apple peel flavours.

This fun, friendly Pinot is superb value for the quality. Made in a very 'lo-fi' manner, the whole-bunch fruit delivers delicious sappy freshness and the crisp acidity, gentle oak tannins and ripe summer pudding fruit flavours lend themselves perfectly to a light chill before serving.

It's generally best not to chill very tannic reds as the tannins can become astringent and accentuated; however, a certain amount of structure provides crunchiness and texture. This Italian red made from the Freisa grape falls into that category – full of juicy cherry and strawberry flavours, bitter plum skin notes and a tactile mouthfeel make for refreshing, mouthwatering drinking.

This bright, juicy Garnacha Tinta (with 5% Garnacha Blanca) is lovely to serve slightly chilled alongside platters of charcuterie at a picnic. Named after El Garbi, the warm African wind that blows through the vineyard in cool Terra Alta, it's packed with vibrant cherry fruit, dusted with spice. Fresh acidity balances the soft tannins for a crisp finish.

Vernatsch (aka Schiava) is a versatile, lighter red, with gentle tannins and supple red fruits – perfect for chilling. This example takes grapes from old vines in the estate's best plots at 450 metres above sea level, vinfies them in stainless steel then matures the wine in large oak barrels for five months. Fresh cherry and strawberry scents rise from the glass, with a delicious and distinctive amaro and herbal bitters character. Yum.

The Mandilaria grape has thick skins but surprisingly is usually light bodied in nature, as here. Cherry red in the glass, this is brimful of sour cherry, redcurrant fruit, some violet florality, a sprinkling of herbs and a sappy freshness. Chill this one just briefly, and enjoy with simply grilled lamb chops.

Bordeaux might not scream chillable reds, but this zero-sulphite cuvée is full of bright, crunchy and juicy red and black fruit with a medium body and a long-lasting minty and softly peppery finish. This is a great option to put in the fridge for half an hour before serving as an easy-to-drink apéritif, perfect for a sunny picnic or to pair with barbecued meat.

From a family-run vineyard in Valpolicella's Marcellise valley, this juicy red can be chilled down for drinking on hot days. The fruity nose of cherries, strawberries and raspberries leads to a fresh, soft palate with lovely purity of cherry fruit and a touch of herbaceousness on the finish.

Valpolicella Superiore is one of my favourite summertime reds, and chilling it down slightly can bring out more of the typically crunchy red fruit character. This example, from the cool Valpantena valley, offers bright, fragrant wafts of cherry and herbs that introduce a fresh and spicy mouthful of tangy, fleshy red fruits, with enough sapidity to refresh. It finishes with delightful hints of mint and spice.

English Pinot Noir by nature has fairly tart acidity, but that is balanced here by a roundness of fruit, and some subtle toasty spice from a year in oak. A mellow generosity of overripe juicy strawberry and soft black cherries on the nose and palate, some orange citrussy warmth and a hint of sundried tomatoes. Fans of Greece's Xinomavro grape would love this one, and it would be a dream pairing for tuna steaks with roasted tomatoes. Only 1,400 bottles produced.

With its glinting red colour and lifted red berry aromas, this was born for chilled summer sipping. It bursts with the purity of fresh cherries, squishy, oozing raspberries and a touch of herbal, tomato-leaf complexity. A light chill does nothing to dampen the fruit intensity, so don't be afraid to whack this in the fridge before serving, ideally alongside a Middle Eastern-style salad.

This enjoyable Beaujolais really overdelivers for the price. From 30- to 50-year-old vines, with no oak, the fruit purity shines through on the palate. Appealing floral aromas of cherry, raspberry, strawberries and violets. Lovely depth of ripe red berries and black cherry on the palate, the fruit well balanced by fresh acidity and wrapped in soft, rounded tannins. A lovely match for a light Sunday lunch of roast chicken on a summer's day.

From Valli Unite, the Piedmontese cooperative renowned for its sustainability practices, comes this delicious, characterful vino da tavola, a blend of Croatina, Dolcetto and Barbera, with a dash of Cortese. Crunchy red fruit and refreshing zestiness are underpinned by floral nuances and white orchard fruit. Juicy, fun but not without complexity, with earthy touches of Mediterranean herbs and barnyard.

Sourced from 60-year-old vines from three vineyards, this light-hearted, unoaked red showcases the unique character of Mandilaria, an indigenous grape from the Greek islands. A candied nose and palate of cranberry jam and rose petal preserve, with excellent freshness and a touch of tannin. The juicy, concentrated red berry fruits, when lightly chilled, makes a cheerful, topical choice for your summer picnic.

New to Sainsbury's for summer, this bright, juicy Cinsault is great value for money and perfect to enjoy chilled on sunny days. Cold-fermented to preserve colour and flavour, it's packed with cherry and strawberry fruit. Gentle oak influence adds spice and structure to the soft palate. JS

A bright, youthful, unoaked red blend. Red cherry and strawberry candy on the nose, with spiced dark plum accents on the palate. Nothing too complicated but joyfully balanced. The subtle grip won't get too loud, even when chilled, but the fruit will certainly impress the crowd.

Even after being chilled, the ripe dark plum and cherry compote notes leap from the glass, seasoned with rose petal jam. Soft and juicy, with a fine touch of tannin. Simple but pleasantly balanced by a hint of sweetness. A crowd-pleasing red, perfect for picnic quaffing.