Wine Temperatures

Serving temperature for wine is a fun topic, especially "room temperature". What does that mean, right? Most people know that white wines should be served chilled and red wines should be served at room temperature; but what is chilled and what is room temperature. Also should you store the wines at these temperatures too?



Red Wines: I have heard a few times that the room temperature guideline came from years past when homes were without central heating. In those times it was not uncommon for homes to be between 60 and 65 degrees; and thus, the term room temperature came about. For all practical purposes, most homes these days are not commonly kept at 65 degrees, thus a bit of chilling would not harm most reds. My rule of thumb for a quality red wine is to give it 30 minutes of fridge time before serving; however, if you have a temperature controlled cellar, then you can serve straight from the cellar.

White Wines: Most white wines can be served cooler. Cooler like around 45 degrees; however, not all white wines. Chardonnays should just be lightly chilled as to not lose complexity. However, for most other whites my rule of thumb is put it in the fridge until 30 minutes prior to serving.

However, the above is just guidelines. I often serve a white straight from my cellar which is at 65 degrees. Many wine enthusiasts would balk at that; however, with wine a large part of the experience is how you enjoyed the experience. Don't stress over it too much.

As for storing wine, that is a whole other topic. We will get into proper wine cellar temperatures in a later discussion. However, here is a table for my serving temperature recommendations:

45 degrees (F) - Most white wines, including: Chenin Blancs, Sauvignon Blancs, Loire Wines, Rieslings and everyday Chardonnays. If they are served colder, the aromas and flavors will be minimized and you won't get full enjoyment.

50 degrees (F) - Full bodied, high quality white wines including Sauternes and rich white Burgundies. Light red wines like Beaujolais, and more complex Chardonnays.

65 degrees (F) - Red wines including Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Bordeaux, Zinfandel, Rhones and Syrah/Shiraz.

In order to assure the perfect temperatur for your wine you should consider investing in a wine thermometer. VinTemp makes two infrared wine thermometers which give you an instant temperature reading without dipping the thermometer in the wine. These infrared winethermometers avaialable at vintemp.com range from around $25 to $80 and are a must for any serious wine drinker if you are to experience a wine as it was meant to be tasted.

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