Some like it chilled: finding the right temperatures for serving wines. More important than you might imagine. Here are some (non-dictatorial) guidelines.
The Temperature Spectrum
My major point in a recent column about storing wines was that there is a difference between keeping wines for up to a few years in a condition where they are ready to drink and aging important wines for the future. Even if you are doing both, serving wines correctly is at least as important as how they were stored. So if you decide to splurge and install a major wine cellar—a lovely indulgence but something few of us need—still keep in mind the serving temperature guide. Storing wines perfectly and then serving them at less than optimal temperatures would be a waste of the money you’ve spent on the cellar and the money you’ve spent on the wine.
All wines have a place on the spectrum of coldest to warmest. You don’t have to keep a thermometer handy every time you pour, but it might make sense to actually do it once or twice to enhance your understanding. Just remembering the relative order is also quite useful. Forget about room temperature. It’s way too warm for most wines. Alcohol at room temperature can sometimes produce an unpleasant taste sensation. And refrigerator temperature is usually too cold.
Wine cellar temperature is usually 50 to 55, or even 60 degrees. As a general rule, your whites should be served at a cooler than cellar temperature and your reds at or slightly above cellar temperature.
Most sparkling wines and ice wines taste best chilly but not like the polar icecap. Temperatures in the mid to lower 40 degrees are perfect. Your fridge is probably set to the high 30s, so these are the only instances where refrigerator temperature should work well. Chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, riesling, most white wines and roses ought to be just a bit warmer, in the mid to high 40s. Sauternes or viognier are best at around 50 degrees. If you have these wines chilling in your refrigerator, the way most of us do, give them a few minutes on the table to lose the frostiness.
Beaujolais, including the nouveau, which arrived here last month, should be just slightly chilled, around 54 degrees. So should some other fresh, fruity reds and almost any simple country wine—the affordable vins de pays of France and what are often simply called table wines by many producers. It’s fun to play around with this in warm weather. Nonvintage port, Chianti and zinfandel show their charms just above cellar temperature, someplace the high 50s. Pinot noir, Burgundies and Rioja are good in the 60-degree area, and Bordeaux, syrah and vintage port just above that. If you have a bottle of red sitting on the kitchen counter, it is probably too warm, so pop it in the refrigerator for ten minutes before opening.
The wine temperature will change of course while you are consuming the bottle, edging toward room temperature. But let’s not get obsessive. And be prudent with the ice bucket. I find that if you start with the right temperature the changes as you drink seem like a natural and welcome progression. Besides, these are not meant to be dictatorial rules; think of them as guidelines to bring out the best qualities of your wine. Most importantly, avoid extremes.
