*Basic Wine Serving Guideline*

Red Wine Serving Temperature

It’s better to serve your red wine too cold than too warm, nothing ruins a fine red wine more quickly than drinking it at too high a temperature. A red wine served too warm loses its freshness and many of its characteristic aromas and flavors. Above 65°F, a red wine imparts too much of its alcohol content as flavor, never a desirable taste.

It’s more convenient to allow a wine to warm up in its glass than to put it back in the refrigerator or ice bucket; simply cup your hands around the glass while you swirl. A common misconception is that red wine should be served at “room temperature”.  Please consider your geography and season.You do not want to serve your red wine at a temperature higher than 60-65°F, depending upon the type of red wine. You will want to serve your medium bodied reds such as Chianti and Zinfandel at a slightly higher temperature (approximately 60°F), and your full bodied reds such as Cabernet, Merlot, and Shiraz a hint warmer (approximately 63-65°F).

However, if your red wine has been stored at room temperature, you’ll want to either put it in the refrigerator or into an ice bucket for 30-60 minutes before serving. Be sure to include water with the ice the wine will chill much quicker.

White Wine Serving Temperature

For white wines, the opposite may be true. It’s better to serve a white wine too warm than too cold. White wines served too cold (under 45°F) lose many of their flavors and aromas. However, you still want to serve your white wines colder than your red wines. Serving white wines at a lower temperature brings out their natural fruity, fresh, and sweet characteristics. You will want to serve your white wines at 45-55°F, depending upon the wine and your personal preference. A Reisling will be better a bit colder than a Chardonnay. Removing your white wine from the refrigerator 30-60 minutes before serving should bring them to about the right temperature. A good sparkling wine (champagne) is best served just a hint colder than a white wine. You can usually drink your sparkling wine right out of the refrigerator at about 40°F, but you may find its flavors are enhanced if you let it stand for 15-20 minutes before serving.

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