The Culinary Works

Serving Temperature

This is one of the most important aspects in serving wine. The serving temperature affects the taste and the aroma. Too low, a wine can be almost devoid of flavor and character. To high, a wine may seem harsh with overwhelming character.

White wines benefit greatly from a bit of chilling. Sparkling wines like it very cold at around 35-45 degrees. Dessert wines and light-bodied whites are at their finest in the low 50s. Fuller-bodied whites such as Chardonnay and white Rhônes may be served slightly warmer at around 50 – 60 degrees.

Light reds like Beaujolais, Pinot Noir or a Cabernet Franc from the Loire Valley will benefit from a slight chill. Put the bottle in the refrigerator for about 25 minutes and that should do the trick.

Full-bodied reds like a Cabernet, Shiraz, Bordeaux and Red Rhônes are best served at cellar temperature. Remember that cellar temperate is not room temperature, unless you normally keep your house at 55 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit. About 15 minutes in the refrigerator should take care of it.
If a wine needs to be chilled quickly, iced water is a far more effective means than placing it in a container of just ice cubes.

These are just general guidelines to help you get the most out of a glass of wine. If your personal preferences are different, then go for it.