It all seems pretty simple. Serve red wine at room temperature and white wine chilled. Or should there be a little more science behind it? There are big variations in room temperature between winter and summer and chilled can mean a few minutes to all day in the fridge.
If you serve wine too warm or too cold, you won’t experience it at its best and how the winemaker intended. Temperature can mean the difference between you liking and loathing a wine; the aroma and flavours are greatly influenced by temperature. Whether it’s a Margaret River wine or an international bottle, there are some basic guidelines you can follow to get the temperature just right.
Red Wines
On a summer’s day in Margaret River, your red wine at room temperature will be warm. Drinking a warm red wine will give you an overpowering sensation of alcohol rather than the heady fruit sensation you were expecting. Room temperature should be more like that of a cellar, not a heated room in winter. If your bottle of red is a little warm, put it in the fridge to cool then take it out and check the temperature before serving.
White Wines
Some people think the colder the better for white wines, but it’s is a fallacy. If the temperature of your wine is too cold, it will bring out the acidity and the aromas are lost. Place your white wine in the fridge 2-3 hours before serving. If it has been cooling all day, leave it out for a while, so it warms slightly to its ideal drinking temperature.
If you intend to leave your open bottle on the table for the duration of your dinner party without an ice bucket, chill it 2°C less, so the bottle is just right for drinking during the meal.
What is the Ideal Wine Temperature?
The optimum temperatures are slightly different for each varietal but follow this basic guide to work out what temperature to serve your wine.
Do an experiment for yourself and try drinking a wine that isn’t at its optimum temperature then again chilling or warming to its correct temperature. You are sure to experience far better aromas and flavours with the second sample.
If you want to get a little high tech about your wines’ temperature, you can invest in a wine temperature gauge. The digital thermometer wraps around the wine bottle and within several seconds lets you know the temperature within one degree celsius.
Red Wines
On a summer’s day in Margaret River, your red wine at room temperature will be warm. Drinking a warm red wine will give you an overpowering sensation of alcohol rather than the heady fruit sensation you were expecting. Room temperature should be more like that of a cellar, not a heated room in winter. If your bottle of red is a little warm, put it in the fridge to cool then take it out and check the temperature before serving.
White Wines
Some people think the colder the better for white wines, but it’s is a fallacy. If the temperature of your wine is too cold, it will bring out the acidity and the aromas are lost. Place your white wine in the fridge 2-3 hours before serving. If it has been cooling all day, leave it out for a while, so it warms slightly to its ideal drinking temperature.
If you intend to leave your open bottle on the table for the duration of your dinner party without an ice bucket, chill it 2°C less, so the bottle is just right for drinking during the meal.
What is the Ideal Wine Temperature?
The optimum temperatures are slightly different for each varietal but follow this basic guide to work out what temperature to serve your wine.
- Moscato, Sparkling, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris: 6-8°C
- Rosé, Riesling, Unwooded Chardonnay: 8-10°C
- Chardonnay: 10-12°C
- Pinot Noir: 12-14°C
- Tempranillo: 14-16°C
- Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Shiraz: 16-18°C
Do an experiment for yourself and try drinking a wine that isn’t at its optimum temperature then again chilling or warming to its correct temperature. You are sure to experience far better aromas and flavours with the second sample.
If you want to get a little high tech about your wines’ temperature, you can invest in a wine temperature gauge. The digital thermometer wraps around the wine bottle and within several seconds lets you know the temperature within one degree celsius.
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