It's an experience to try, at least once: during an evening, try serving the same wine, but at two different temperatures and see the reactions. Among your guests, most will think they've been dealing with two distinct wines. We'll explain why and, at the same time, give you some tips for serving your wine at the right temperature .
In wine parlance, serving temperature refers to the temperature at which a wine should be served. Difficulty: not all wines are tasted at the same serving temperature, which depends on various factors, such as the type of wine, the color or the organoleptic profile. The reason is simple: low temperatures enhance the acidity and freshness of a wine, while higher temperatures soften the tannins and reveal the aromas better.
SPARKLING SERVING TEMPERATURE
- Between 6 and 10°C for most champagnes, Proseccos and sparkling wines in general
- Between 10 and 13°C for very fine champagnes
SERVING TEMPERATURE SWEET OR LIQUEUR WHITE WINES
- Between 10 and 13°C
SERVING TEMPERATURE DRY WHITE WINES
- Between 8 and 10°C for lively and light whites
- Between 10 and 13° C for round and creamy whites
SERVING TEMPERATURE FOR ROSE WINES
- Between 8 and 10°C
SERVING TEMPERATURE OF RED WINES
- Between 14 and 16° C for fruity reds
- Between 16 and 18° C for the more tannic reds
PLEASE NOTE: There is no authoritative convention on the ideal temperature and you can find different schemes around, especially as we have left out some parameters here such as the vintage or the age of the wine.
However, it is good to remember how each family of wine is classified on the temperature scale, and to avoid two symmetrical excesses: serve a white wine that is too cold (e.g. just taken out of the refrigerator), and serve a red wine that is too hot, at the risk of making the palate.
Furthermore, it is better to serve a wine that is too cold than too hot because your wine, after being brought up to temperature, will gain an extra half degree every two minutes. An ice bucket is therefore, one of the practical accessories as it will help you maintain the required temperature after the wine has been brought to the table.