Every wine has its own temperature of serving so how we will predict the best temperature for serving wine or at which best temperature it should be served?
3 Answers
Here is my take on serving wine at a variety of temperatures and colors after years and years of serving wine and drinking it.
Remember storing wine and serving wine are two different things. All wine should be stored in a cool dark spot, preferably on it's side if it has a cork at around 50F degrees.
Most people keep their white wine in the fridge at around 37F which is slightly too cool but you know what, but the time you open the bottle and put it in a glass it will quickly warm up to the perfect temperature. I usually keep white wine with one of those freezer bottle coolers thingies to keep it cool. The lighter the bodied the cooler you can go. I am not a fan of warm Chardonnay. Age worthy wines like Chardonnay and Riesling can stand to be slightly warmer but in reality they will warm up in your glass quickly. More aromatics are released as they warm up.
Rose' wines for the most part should be served at the lower end of the white wine range.
The thing most people don't know is that light red wines like pinot noir and Beaujolais should be served at cellar temperature. Last time I was in Paris (France) I was surprised at how cold they served their red wines. Really almost all of them at refrigerator temperatures. I mostly put all my red wines in the fridge an hour or so before serving unless I already have them at cellar temperature (50ish degrees).
Highly tannic red wines actually benefit from being cool. The perception of the rough bitter tannins is reduced by cooler temperatures.
Full bodied dessert wines, like Tokay, should also be served at a temperature slightly above cellar temperatures. Most are highly aromatic and you want a little be more warmth to release those aromatics.
In general, try to cool off your wines before serving. White wines more so than red but all wines should be served cooler than room temperature.
Some people serve wine at the ambient temperature without knowing that some wines are better served at a specific temperature.
Which temperature should be recommended in serving wine?
Light dry white wines, rosés, sparkling wines: Serve at 40°F (5°C) to 50°F (10°C) to preserve their freshness and fruitiness. Think crisp Pinot Grigio and Champagne. For sparklers, chilling keeps bubbles fine rather than frothy. This is also a good range for white dessert wines; sweetness is accentuated at warmer temperatures, so chilling them preserves their balance without quashing their vibrant aromas.
Full-bodied white wines and light, fruity reds: Serve at 50°F (10°C) to 60°F (15°C) to pick up more of the complexity and aromatics of a rich Chardonnay or to make a fruity Beaujolais more refreshing.
Full-bodied red wines and Ports: Serve at 60°F (16°C) to 65°F (18°C) — cooler than most room temperatures and warmer than ideal cellaring temperatures—to make the tannins in powerful Cabernet or Syrah feel more supple and de-emphasize bitter components. - How to Serve Wine 101: Tips on the Perfect Serving Temperature
answered Nov 5, 2018 at 13:31
"The thing most people don't know is that light red wines like pinot noir and Beaujolais should be served at cellar temperature. Last time I was in Paris (France) I was surprised at how cold they served their red wines."
Good observation. The other week I was in a conversation with a friend. She liked the Pinot Noir that I brought to the gathering, but that it could have been cooled down more. She studied enology at UC Davis and was told there to bring out red wine at 52 degrees. That sounds like cellar temperature to me. One can always warm up the wine in the glass with one's hands to bring it up to the temperature desired. The problem with serving warmer wine is that the alcohol is more pronounced, giving wine a hot flavor component.
