Hi Matt,

Yes, it can. Certain flavors are associated with coolness even if the entity in question is at room temperature. For example, spearmint, cucumbers, lemons, and menthol are all usually perceived as having a cooling character, even if they are not actually cool temperature-wise. Similarly, but at the opposite end of the scale, baked fruit flavors can seem warming. A wine with baked cherry flavors can seem “warmer” than a wine with crunchy fresh cherry flavors (which can seem cool), even if both wines are the same temperature. This is why certain red wines can be described as “cooling” even though the wine itself has not been chilled.