LS Merchants Chilled AF

Wine Details

• Vintage: 2026
• Blend: Sangiovese, Shiraz, Sauvignon Blanc and Chenin Blanc
• Style: Chilled red and white blend
• Region: Margaret River, Western Australia
• Body: Light to medium-bodied
• Character: Bright, juicy and fruit-driven
• Closure: Cork
• Bottle size: 750ml
• Serving temperature: Approximately 10°C
• Cellaring: Best enjoyed young for its vibrant fruit and freshness

A Red and White Wine in the Same Bottle

Chilled AF is made from both red and white grape varieties, placing it somewhere between a conventional red, a rosé and a textural white. Sangiovese and Shiraz provide the wine’s colour, berry flavours and gentle tannin structure. Sauvignon Blanc and Chenin Blanc introduce additional perfume, natural acidity and freshness. Combining the varieties produces a wine with the recognisable fruit of a red but the brightness and easy-drinking character usually associated with a white. It is an unusual approach, but every component has a purpose.

The result is particularly suited to Margaret River’s warmer months: flavourful enough for red-wine drinkers, yet refreshing enough to pull directly from the refrigerator.

What Each Variety Brings

Sangiovese

Sangiovese is naturally lively and savoury, commonly showing red cherry, cranberry, dried herbs and refreshing acidity. In Chilled AF, it helps create the bright red-fruited core and tangy character that make the wine so effective when served cold.

Shiraz

Shiraz contributes deeper berry flavour, colour and additional weight through the middle of the palate. Rather than making this a large or powerful red, it gives the blend enough substance to remain flavourful after chilling.

Sauvignon Blanc

Sauvignon Blanc brings aromatic intensity and a sharp, refreshing edge. Its citrus and herbal qualities lift the red fruit and stop the blend from feeling heavy.

Chenin Blanc

Chenin Blanc is prized for its natural acidity and ability to retain freshness. It contributes energy, fruit weight and a mouthwatering finish, helping pull the entire blend together.

Why Serve Chilled AF Cold?

Serving a red wine cold can sound unusual, but it works beautifully when the wine is made with bright fruit, lively acidity and gentle tannins. Cooling Chilled AF sharpens its raspberry and strawberry flavours, heightens its refreshing acidity and gives the palate a crisp, energetic feel. Because the tannins are soft, chilling does not make the wine feel excessively hard or drying.

Aim for approximately 10°C. This is colder than a traditional red but slightly warmer than a typical refrigerator temperature.

If the bottle has been stored at normal room temperature, place it in the refrigerator for approximately 90 minutes before serving. On a warm day, keep it in an ice bucket and allow the temperature to rise slightly in the glass.

Is It a Rosé?

Not exactly.

Most rosé is made by giving red grapes only a short period of contact with their skins, extracting a small amount of colour before fermentation continues. Chilled AF instead combines red and white varieties to create its particular balance of fruit, texture and acidity. It has more red-wine character and structure than many rosés, while remaining lighter and more refreshing than a conventional red. In practical terms, it occupies its own delicious space between the categories.

Serving and Cellaring

• Chilled AF is at its best served at approximately 10°C. Use a universal or white-wine glass rather than a very large red-wine glass. This will help retain the wine’s aromatic lift and refreshing character.
• There is no need to decant it. Simply chill, open and pour. This wine has been created for youthful fruit and immediate enjoyment rather than long-term cellaring. Drink it now or over the next two to three years while its strawberry, raspberry and lively acidity remain at their brightest.

Food Pairing 

• Wood-fired pizza: The bright acidity works particularly well with tomato, melted cheese and cured meats.
• Charcuterie: Serve it with prosciutto, salami, pâté and mild cheeses.
• Barbecued chicken: The juicy fruit complements smoky, lightly charred flavours without overwhelming the meat.
• Pork sausages: Sangiovese’s savoury character and acidity balance the richness of pork.
• Spicy food: Try it with Korean fried chicken, chilli-glazed pork or lightly spiced tacos.
• Mediterranean vegetables: Roasted capsicum, eggplant, tomato and herbs echo the blend’s fresh and savoury qualities.
• Picnic food: Its chilled, easy-drinking style makes it an excellent match for sandwiches, cold meats and shared grazing plates.
• Grilled salmon or tuna: The combination of red-wine fruit and white-wine freshness works surprisingly well with richer fish.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Chilled AF a red wine or a white wine?

It contains both red and white grape varieties but is best thought of as a chilled red.

Sangiovese and Shiraz provide its red colour and berry flavours, while Sauvignon Blanc and Chenin Blanc contribute freshness, perfume and acidity.

Which grapes are used in the 2025 blend?

The 2025 Chilled AF combines Sangiovese, Shiraz, Sauvignon Blanc and Chenin Blanc.

The blend may change between vintages, so these varieties should not be confused with those used in later releases.

Why would a winemaker blend red and white grapes?

Blending red and white varieties allows the winemaker to combine red-wine fruit and structure with white-wine freshness and aromatic lift.

In this case, the technique creates a red that remains flavourful but becomes particularly refreshing when chilled.

Does it taste like rosé?

There are similarities, particularly its bright fruit and refreshing acidity, but Chilled AF has more red-wine flavour and gentle tannin structure than many rosés.

It is best considered a light chilled red rather than a conventional rosé.

Is Chilled AF sweet?

The creamed raspberry and strawberry flavours give it a generous fruitiness, but lively tangy acidity keeps the palate fresh and balanced rather than heavy or cloying.

How cold should I serve it?

Serve it at approximately 10°C.

This is cool enough to emphasise the freshness but not so cold that its fruit and aromatics disappear.

Can I serve it directly from the refrigerator?

Yes, although a very cold refrigerator can temporarily mute the flavours.

If it seems closed when first poured, leave the glass for five to ten minutes. The fruit and perfume will become more expressive as the wine warms slightly.

Can traditional red-wine drinkers enjoy it?

Absolutely. Sangiovese and Shiraz provide genuine red-wine flavour, while the white varieties make the blend lighter and more refreshing.

It is an excellent introduction to chilled reds for someone accustomed to conventional Shiraz or Sangiovese.

When should I drink it?

Chilled AF is made for youthful drinking. Enjoy it now or within approximately two to three years of vintage to capture its brightest fruit and freshest acidity.