Light red wine: the red that doesn't weigh you down
234 light red wines, from €12.50A light red is not a diluted red. It is a wine whose tannins stay in the background, where fresh red fruit comes before structure, and which can be served at around 14 °C without falling flat. It goes with what powerful reds overwhelm: poultry, a vegetable dish, a pressed cheese.
Pinot Noir provides the largest share, but Gamay, Cinsault and a few mountain grape varieties give the same profile. The origins that appear most often in our range are France, the United States and New Zealand.
Dalrymple - Pinot Noir 2022
A complex and elegant Pinot Noir from the island of Tasmania
Twomey - Russian River Valley Pinot Noir 2023
A high-end Pinot Noir from the famous Russian River Valley
Twomey - Anderson Valley Pinot Noir 2023
A premium Pinot Noir from the cool climate of the Anderson Valley
Ferraris - Ruchè Castagnole di Monferrato "Castelleto Montemagno" 2017
A fine and aromatic wine made from Ruché, an indigenous grape variety from Piedmont
Occidental - Freestone Pinot Noir 2024
A Pinot Noir combining intensity and refinement, from the coastal vineyards of Sonoma
Koerner - Leko Rouge 2021
A completely atypical blend, combining finesse and complexity.
Birichino - Rodnick Farm Pinot Noir 2022
A Pinot Noir from an exceptional terroir nestled in the Gabilan Mountains
Kistler - Russian River Pinot Noir 2024
Pepper, cherry and flowers on a Pinot aged ten months in barrique, unfined and unfiltered.
Calera - Mills Pinot Noir 2018
Ripe red fruit, spice and forest floor, with the velvety texture of great Pinots.
Calera - Pinot Noir De Villiers Vinyard 2018
Black fruit and plum on a silky Pinot, with oak smoke lingering on.
Creation - Pinot Noir 2024
Cool-climate Pinot Noir, cherry and raspberry on a silky texture.
Calera - Pinot Noir 2018
Damp earth, red fruit and delicate spices, on fine tannins that call for time.
Calera - Ryan Pinot Noir 2018
Flowers, spice and a mineral touch, a lively Pinot that the barrique dresses in vanilla.
Clos Henri Vineyard - Estate Pinot Noir 2024
A Marlborough Pinot Noir made by winemakers from the Loire: ripe cherry and velvety tannins.
Nicolas Jay - Pinot Noir l'ensemble 2019
Nicolas Jay's top cuvée: an Oregon Pinot built for long ageing.
Creation - The Art Of Pinot Noir 2022
The estate's flagship Pinot Noir cuvée, ripe cherry, violet and a discreet smokiness.
Clos Henri Vineyard - Waimaunga Pinot Noir
Cherry, plum and fine minerality: a Marlborough Pinot Noir with silky tannins.
Clos De La Paix - Pinot Noir 2022
Pinot Noir from the southern Cape, cherry and raspberry on a delicate structure.
Creation - Pinot Noir Reserve 2021
A selection of the estate's best vines: ripe black fruit and fine minerality.
Nicolas Jay - Pinot Noir Willamette Valley 2017
Willamette in the glass: ripe cherry and rose, with velvety tannins.
Hospice de Beaune - Corton Grand Cru Cuvée Docteur Peste 2013
A Corton grand cru at maturity: black fruit, leather and tobacco.
Erath - Pinot Noir Estate Selection Willamette Valley 2019
Erath's single-plot selection, a silky, fragrant Oregon Pinot.
Erath - Pinot Noir 2019
An honest, fruity Oregon Pinot, made for the everyday table.
Grape varieties that produce a light red wine
The single word “light” covers very different wines. This table separates what comes from the grape variety from what comes from the climate.
| Grape variety | What he gives | Where can it be found in our country | The dish that goes with it | In our country, starting from |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pinot Noir The most represented in the range | Cherry, raspberry, undergrowth. Silky tannins, lively acidity. | Burgundy, Oregon, New Zealand, Patagonia | Roast poultry, grilled salmon, mushrooms | €13.80Santa Rita Secret Reserve |
| Gamay | Banana, crushed strawberry, almost no tannin. | Beaujolais, Loire, Switzerland | Charcuterie, raclette, picnic | €16.50 |
| Cinsault | Redcurrant, peony, a very fine weave. | South Africa, Languedoc, Chile | Grilled vegetables, tagine, mildly spicy cuisine | €12.50Matetic The Old Man of the Valley |
| Schiava, trousseau, poulsard | Alpine reds: pale, saline, almost translucent. | South Tyrol, Jura, Savoy | Mountain cheeses, deli meats |
A red wine can also be lighter due to the climate rather than the grape variety: a high-altitude Syrah remains finer than a Syrah from the plains. See full-bodied reds for the opposite.
Three bottles to enter the profile
The charts give the theory. Here are three bottles available today, at three price points.
The admission fee
A Chilean Cinsault crafted by a French winemaker. Redcurrant, white pepper, no gripping tannins.
Matetic El Viejo del Valle · €12.50Pinot Noir on a budget
Santa Rita Secret Reserve, Leyda Valley. Black cherry, a hint of smoke.
Santa Rita Secret Reserve Pinot Noir · €13.80Step up a notch
Patagonia, high-altitude vineyards, winemaking without artifice. The Argentinian Pinot Noir that put Chacra on the map.
Malma Chacra la Papay · €16.50
Light doesn't mean small
Lightness is often confused with a lack of substance. A great Burgundy Pinot Noir costs more than a powerful Cabernet and weighs half as much on the palate: finesse is the hardest thing to achieve. What a light red seeks is fruit precision and length without the weight.
It's also the most versatile profile at the table. Where a tannic red demands red meat, a light red goes from fatty fish to cheese without ever dominating.
How do you choose
We automatically discard light red wines, those that are pale because the harvest was poor. The key indicator is the finish: if it is short and dry, it's a thin wine. If it remains fresh and mouth-watering, it's a fine wine.
The Wine Wanderer Team
What we're being asked about light red
A light red, do you serve it chilled?
Between 13 and 15°C, yes. Twenty minutes in the refrigerator before serving is enough. Served at 20°C, the alcohol takes over and the fruit disappears.
What's the difference between this and a fruity red?
Lightness refers to the structure, fruitiness to the aroma. A wine can be fruity and full-bodied, like a Primitivo. A light red wine has few tannins, regardless of its fruit. See fruity red wines.
Does it keep?
Great Pinot Noirs age very well, for ten years or more. Entry-level Gamays and Cinsaults should be drunk within three years, that's when they're at their best.
What to serve with a vegetarian dish?
This is the best profile for this: low tannins, no conflict with vegetables. Our vegetarian pairing guide details difficult cases, such as artichoke and asparagus.
Why so little Gamay in the selection?
We source from independent winemakers around the world, and Gamay is still predominantly French. Cinsault and Pinot Noir meet the same need with greater diversity of origins.