Serving wine at the right temperature helps the wine express optimal flavors and sensations. The type of wine determines the optimum temperature.
Red wines’ structure comes from the tannins and should be served between 55 and 65 degrees. Yet, lighter bodied reds should be served more to the cool end around 55 degrees. The heavier full-bodied reds should be around 65 degrees.
Whites, Rose’ and sparkling all need to be chilled. However, full-bodied whites, such as Chardonnay are best between 50 and 60 degrees. Whites and Rose’s which are lighter and fruitier, should be around 45 and 50 degrees. Sparkling wines are at their very best between 40 and 50 degrees. Dessert wine should be chilled to between 50 and 60 degrees.
Chilling wine options:
The very best way to chill wine is to plan a bit and refrigerate your wine. It is simple and easy to calculate. To reach 65 degrees, place in fridge for 45 minutes, for 55 degrees, place in the fridge for 90 minutes, to reach 45 degrees it will take around 2 hours.
Another method will take less time. In an ice bucket combine ice with some salt and water. A salt brine will bring the temperature below 32 degrees, chilling a Rose’ in less than 15 minutes.
The freezer is an option, just make sure you don’t leave the wine in the freezer more than 30 minutes or you will have a wine ice explosion all over.
Use re-usable ice cubes and place them in your glass of wine.
Don’t use a frosted wine glass, there just isn’t enough mass to reduce the temperature.
Adding ice cubes is also not the best, it dilutes the wine, and you end up with a spritzer.
Don’t decant your wine into a plastic bag and put in ice water, it really doesn’t chill it faster.
So, plan ahead a bit whenever you can and if not you can still enjoy a wine at the perfect temperature in very little time.
ENJOY!