One question I get asked often is what temperature to serve different wine. The answer is quite simple and easy, although the “right” temperature can depend on your personal taste. Recall a recent post I had in my email newsletter about serving wine on ice. Yes, some people really enjoy it that way, which does break the rules. If you want to stick with what is recommended by wine makers, here’s the scoop.
Ideal Temperatures for Wines:
- Sparkling Wine 40 – 55°
- White Wine 45 – 60°
- Red Wine* 50 – 64°
*Often, we hear that red wine should be served at “room temperature”, which can vary widely depending on where you live and the season. It can be in the 70s or 80s and drinking red wine at that temperature would make me gag! Pet peeve: restaurants that serve room temperature red wines when the heat is on in the winter!
Here’s a bit more specific information based on the type of wine:
You can always make a wine colder or warmer by putting or taking it in/out of the fridge. You could also have an ice bucket nearby to get the temp just right (see notes on the chart)
Here’s a short video that covers the basics and will make serving temps easy to remember.
If you have a wine fridge or cellar the best temperature to keep these at is between 55 – 60°. My incredibly awesome natural wine cellar in the basement of my early 1800s home is made of large stones and keeps my wines at 55 degrees all year round.
I keep my whites at 47 degrees and my bubbly at 42 degrees. Luckily, I have several fridges!
Cheers!
Anne
