WINE 101 | SERVING TEMPERATURES

Serving temperature is a major consideration. Nine times out of ten, wines are served at inappropriate temperatures. Red wine is often served much warmer than it should be, and white wine is typically served much colder than it should be.

Remember, ‘cellar temperature' is not ‘room' temperature. Red wine served at inappropriately high temperatures will lose its aromatics very rapidly. There will be ‘less to smell'. Additionally, it may end up tasting rather flat and unbalanced.

A good rule of thumb is to ask yourself if the bottle of red you are about to open feels very cool, but not quite cold. If indeed it does feel very cool, it is at or near the appropriate serving temperature. Red wines should typically be served anywhere from 14°C to 18°C is ideal depending on the type of red wine.

If the bottle of white you are about to open feels almost too cold to hold in your hand for long, it is too cold to be served. White wines should be served at anywhere from 8°C to 12°C which is warmer than they usually are served at.

A wine served too cold will not ‘open up', that is too say, it won't release its aromas. Also, it will numb your palate, which means you will be unable to taste and enjoy all of its character and nuances.