Go Red, but Light

By LETTIE TEAGUE
WHO DOESN’T like to drink something light? Light is refreshing. Thirst-quenching. It could even be called Universally Good. Except when the wine it describes is a red. To many wine drinkers, a light red is anathema, a wine defined by an absence—of structure, tannins and wood. Light reds are a tough sell for wine professionals—and wine journalists, too. When I told my friends I was tasting light red wines, they were less than thrilled. My friend Debre even put it in patriotic terms: “A light red sounds downright un-American.” According to Debre and several of the others, a light red wine lacks seriousness and depth. For a red to be worthy, they say, it has to have heft. And yet, at this time of year, midway between summer and fall, there may be no wine more refreshing or suitable than a light red.
But what is a light red wine, anyway? What is it made from and where is it grown? The answers to those questions are “almost any grape” and “almost everywhere”—save perhaps for some very hot places like California’s Amador County or certain parts of the Rhône. (Heat produces very ripe fruit, which in turns means higher alcohol content. A light red is seldom high in alcohol.) There are also red grapes that don’t lend themselves to lightness, including thick-skinned, tannic grapes such as Petite Sirah, Malbec and Zinfandel—essentially any wine that could be described as “concentrated” or “bold.”
A light red wine is one that is often—though not always—made without using oak barrels. This may be one of the things keeping it from being taken seriously by drinkers and winemakers. According to Rich Olsen-Harbich, winemaker at Bedell Wine Cellars on Long Island’s North Fork, “Winemakers can feel like they’re not doing their job if there’s no oak.” Mr. Olsen-Harbich, who makes some delicious oak-free reds, said he has “come to grips” with the fact that some of his best wines will never go into oak.
One of Mr. Olsen-Harbich’s oak-free reds is a light, juicy blend of Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Syrah called First Crush that he likens to a northern Italian red, possibly from Alto Adige. He also makes a denser 100% Cabernet Franc that he said is more like Bourgueil—a red wine made from the same grape in the Loire region of France. (The 2010 Bedell Cabernet Franc is delicious and one of my favorite renditions of the grape, though it’s more medium than light).
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