Wine Serving Temperature

Saying Yes to Warmer Whites and Cooler Reds

Do we drink white wines too cold and reds to warm? In many cases, probably so.

Most wine enjoyment reference books suggest serving only sparkling wines and the lightest of light-bodied whites at something close to household refrigerator temperatures, which often hold 40-degrees or below. Are you a chardonnay drinker? Many experts recommend serving that varietal much warmer, at over 50-degrees.

And as for reds, room temperature is often too warm. If it is your habit to grab a bottle from the pantry, pop it, and pour it, you may be missing out. Recommended serving temperature for full-bodied reds is "cellar temperature", or about 68-degrees, which is perhaps below your ambient room temperature. Lighter-bodied reds should be served even cooler. Love pinot noir, experts recommend it be served at closer to 55-degrees. You pantry is probably not that cold.

Do you need a fancy wine cabinet or other special equipment? Not necessarily. Here are some easy workarounds to help you better enjoy your wines without spending a fortune on wine warehouse infrastructure.

Whites: Pour the wine straight from the fridge and then warm the glass by cupping it with your hands.

Reds: Put them in the fridge in advance of pouring. Light bodied reds might benefit from a 30-minute chill (or more). Heavier bodied reds should be "ready" in 10 to 20 minutes.

Rosé's: While there are few sites more appetizing on a hot sunny day than a well-chilled bottle of rosé, shivering with condensation, this image might set you on a false path. Conceptually, depending on how you look at them, rosés might be categorized as full-bodied whites or light-bodied reds. Try enjoying these wines a little warmer (toward 55-degrees) and see if you don't get more out of them. As for which type of glass to use, I always use a white wine glass for rosé coming out of the fridge or an ice chest, so I can warm it up a little faster by cupping it with my hand.