When it comes to storing and serving your wine, the temperature is of the utmost importance.
Some might not realize it, but the temperature of the wine can have a drastic effect on the overall taste, so it’s important to understand exactly what temperature you should be storing and serving your wine at.
Too cold, and you won’t be able to savor all of the incredible fragrances, while a wine that is too hot will end up losing much of its structure and freshness.
In this guide, we’ll not only talk about the perfect temperature for red wine, but white wine, sparkling wine, and even rosé too.
So, if you’re ready to learn more about the temperatures you should be storing your wines at, then let’s get started!
Best Temperature For Serving Red Wine
Arguably the most popular type of wine, red wine is the most common wine that people want to learn the optimum temperature for storage and serving, especially if you’re looking to enjoy it properly.
As a general rule, most red wine is served way too warm. Red wine is supposed to be served at a temperature just below room temperature, which allows the drinker to enjoy all of the aromas and flavors, without compromising on its structure or freshness.
Of course, there are different types of red wine, so if you want to know the exact temperatures you should be serving your red wine at, then check out this guide below:
- Light Bodied Red Wine – This includes wines such as Pinot Noir, Valpolicella, and Beaujolais, all of which should be served at a temperature of 37 – 59°F, so you should chill before serving.
- Medium-bodied Red Wine – For wines such as Tempranillo and Merlot, you should aim to serve them at a temperature between 57 – 63°F, so slightly refrigerate them before serving.
- Full-Bodied Red Wine – When it comes to serving full-bodied red wines, like Cabernet Sauvignon, or Syrah, you should aim to serve them at a temperature between 63 – 66°F, which is just slightly below room temperature.
People often store their red wines at room temperature, but this is way too hot for storing your red wine. The optimum temperature for storing red wine is 55°F, and you should be sure that it is kept away from too much light too.
Best Temperature For Serving White Wine
While red wine is often served too warm, white wine is often served too cold, which means that it will often lose some of the more intricate flavors that help to make it so refreshing.
The best temperature for serving white wine can range from cool to above fridge temperature, and it is only once the wine begins to warm slightly in its glass will you truly be able to notice some of its deeper flavors.
Just like red wine though, the exact serving temperature all depends on the type of wine!
- Light Bodied White Wine – Including wines like Sauvignon Blanc, and Chablis, this wine should be kept at fridge temperature, so around 45-48°F.
- Sweet-Scented White Wine – For wines such as Gewürtztraminer or Riesling, 45 – 48°F is also the recommended temperature for serving.
- Full Bodied White Wine – When serving wines like Chardonnay or Viognier, then you should aim to be serving them at a temperature between 48-55°F, which is slightly warmer than fridge temperatures.
For full-bodied white wines that need to be slightly warmer than fridge temperature when serving, then simply just remove them from the fridge before serving to allow them to warm up slightly.
Like red wines, 55°F is the optimal temperature for storing wine.
Best Temperature For Serving Sparkling Wine
Unlike red and white wines, sparkling wine is always best when it’s served cold, which means that you should always place it in the fridge, or even the freezer before you serve it.
The cold temperature is what helps to bring out the freshness of the wine.
- Non-Vintage Sparkling Wine – Cava, Prosecco, and non-vintage Champagne should always be served at a temperature between 41 and 48°F.
- Vintage Champagne – This incredible wine should be served at 50°F!
Best Temperature For Serving Rosé
When serving Rosé, you should always aim to serve it at fridge temperature, so somewhere between 45 – 48°F, making it an excellent choice for the summer,
Final Thoughts
We hope that this guide to the best serving temperature for each type of wine has been able to help you understand more about the exact temperature wine needs to be served.
It can be confusing trying to remember the exact temperature for each of the wines, but we promise the improved taste and flavors are worth it!
I can offer you articles and information about wine from a seasoned sommelier, and now a winemaker too! I hope that you enjoy some of our articles, and start thinking outside of the box when it comes to wine.
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