Proper Wine Temperatures

As the old cliché goes, "Life is too short to drink cheap wine!" However, once wine connoisseurs upgrade past Night Train, Thunderbird and Mad Dog, there comes an education of proper wine storage, temperatures, corks and so forth. While most of us will never have the pleasure of enjoying Petrus 1982, we should have a cursory knowledge of proper wine storage, decanting and serving temperature.

Misconceptions

The general rule of thumb for temperature is that white wine is served cooler than red wine. While that is helpful, just throwing a bottle of chardonnay in the fridge until cocktail hour arrives is enough to make a wine expert gag. Each type of wine (Champagne included) has an optimal, recommended temperature range.

Types

For all intents and purposes, the following is a guide to proper wine serving temperatures:
46-52 degrees Fahrenheit: Champagne, chardonnay
54 degrees Fahrenheit: Sauvignon blanc, Beaujolais
55-59 degrees Fahrenheit: Chablis, white zinfandel
61-66 degrees Fahrenheit: Chianti, merlot, pinot noir, Bordeaux, burgundy, cabernet

Considerations

The temperature for storing wine is not the same as its serving temperature: Keeping fine wine between 55 and 57 degrees Fahrenheit is the best range, though different wines and vintages should be considered. Labeling the bottles so that the contents can be determined without disturbing the wine is also important, as is a humidity level of 50 percent or higher.

Effects

Serving white wine at the proper temperature will eliminate the egregious social faux pas of putting ice cubes in a wine glass, as well as make the wine more enjoyable to the food it's paired with. This, along with other proper wine etiquette (including using the appropriate glassware, allowing reds to breathe and proper decanting methods) will only elevate your enjoyment of wine.

Expert Insight

Although constructing a proper wine cellar certainly isn't an option for most wine drinkers, an inexpensive (relatively speaking) option is buying a wine refrigerator. Available in a wide variety of sizes and price points, it allows wine to be stored at an optimal temperature, which usually falls somewhere between a standard refrigerator and room temperature. Better models have the option on exactly what temperature it can be set to, to the degree.

Resources

• Wine Enthusiast