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Serve the wine at the right temperature
Serve the wine at the right temperature
One frequently reads that red wines should be served at room temperature. That maxim remains as true as the day it was first written, what has changed however, is room temperature! We tend to think of room temperature as being in the mid 70’s, for wine’s sake it’s better to think of it as the mid 60’s. The cooler temperature keeps the alcohol in check and allows for the slow, sequential release of the volatile compounds that make a wine’s aroma so captivating.
For whites we tend to think straight from the fridge works but frequently wine taken directly from the fridge is just too cold to be expressive. The ideal temperature for most white wines is closer to 50 degrees than the sub 40-degree temperatures one usually finds in the refrigerator. With rich, aged wines, a touch warmer could be even better, allowing for the wine to be more aromatically expressive.
Sparkling wines are also best served in this temperature range but beware, the warmer the bottle of sparkling wine the greater it’s effervescence apon opening. It’s not a bad idea to keep your bubblies cool until they’ve been opened as this lessens the risk of an explosive surprise!
Rose and lighter reds can stand to be served on the cool side. The classic cellar temperature of 55 to 58 degrees works perfectly for these types of wines.
One frequently reads that red wines should be served at room temperature. That maxim remains as true as the day it was first written, what has changed however, is room temperature! We tend to think of room temperature as being in the mid 70’s, for wine’s sake it’s better to think of it as the mid 60’s. The cooler temperature keeps the alcohol in check and allows for the slow, sequential release of the volatile compounds that make a wine’s aroma so captivating.
For whites we tend to think straight from the fridge works but frequently wine taken directly from the fridge is just too cold to be expressive. The ideal temperature for most white wines is closer to 50 degrees than the sub 40-degree temperatures one usually finds in the refrigerator. With rich, aged wines, a touch warmer could be even better, allowing for the wine to be more aromatically expressive.
Sparkling wines are also best served in this temperature range but beware, the warmer the bottle of sparkling wine the greater it’s effervescence apon opening. It’s not a bad idea to keep your bubblies cool until they’ve been opened as this lessens the risk of an explosive surprise!
Rose and lighter reds can stand to be served on the cool side. The classic cellar temperature of 55 to 58 degrees works perfectly for these types of wines.
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