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Recently, my other half and I decided to have a romantic evening. I bought a bottle of red Cabernet Sauvignon, put it in an ice bucket, lit the candles… It would seem that what could go wrong here? But it could: the beloved refused to drink cold wine, she was afraid to get sick.
None of my arguments that the wine must be cooled before serving did not work. She insisted that the wine is cooled in buckets in restaurants, because this is a tribute to tradition and nothing more.
Therefore, I decided to collect in this article all the facts about the required temperature of wine. I hope, my dear, that you will read it too.
What is the ideal temperature for serving wine?
If we talk about the serving temperature of wines in short, then most of the varieties of red wines show their best properties when cooled to 15 – 18 °.
The usual room temperature of 22-25°C is too high for any type of red wine. It is enough to hold it for 10-20 minutes in the refrigerator and the drink will show its aroma.
White wine best reveals its taste when cooled deeper. It is served at a temperature of 8 – 15 °. The nobler and better the drink, the less it requires refrigeration.
However, the optimal temperature for serving a particular type of wine requires more accuracy.
Red wines:
- light, with a fruity aroma (Gamay (Gamay), Barbera (Barbera), etc.) – 10-13 °;
- moderately soft (Pinot Noir (Pinot Noir), Chianti (Chianti), etc.) – 14-17 °;
- dark, thick varieties (Cabernet Sauvignon (Cabernet Sauvignon), Merlot (Merlot), etc.) – 15-18 °;
- wines with a spicy, peppery bouquet (Grenache (Grenache), Pinotage (Pinotage), etc.) – 15-18 °.
White wines:
- refreshing, citrus fruits, with a spicy aroma (Pinot Grigio (Pinot Grigio), Colombard (Colombard), etc.) – 8-12 °;
- neutral soft (Pinot Blanc (Pinot Blanc), Soave (Soave)) – 9-12 °;
- savory varieties with nutty and oily notes (Graves (Grave), Burgundy wines) – 13-15 °.
Sparkling wines are always served cold – the optimum temperature is around 4-7°C.
How will the taste change if the wine is too cold?
Properly selected temperature of the wine drink contributes to the correct disclosure of the bouquet and taste of the wine. Cooling it to the right temperature, you should remember the main thing – low temperature increases the degree of acidity of the wine.
Cold can impart a pleasantly refreshing aftertaste to the wine, but too much cooling can spoil and overpower the aroma. For example, if red wine is chilled too much, it will taste a little more sour than it should.
However, the colder the wine, the less alcohol is felt in it. In some situations, refrigeration can slightly improve the taste of not very high-quality wine.
If you are not sure about the quality of your drink, chill it a little more than is necessary for this variety. So you hide the flaws and defects of taste and literally “save” the wine.
How will the taste change if the wine is too warm?
Worse than supercooled wine can only be too warm. Elevated temperature enhances the strength of the wine. Excessively heated wine may seem too harsh and unpleasant in taste due to the fact that alcohol is more clearly felt in it.
In addition, storing wine for a long time in a room that is too warm can adversely affect the taste and color of the drink.
How to chill wine properly
Properly cooling the wine to the right temperature is not at all difficult. You will need a bucket, ice, a couple of tablespoons of salt and cold water. Put the bottle in a bucket and fill it with ice for one third of the volume. Then fill with cold water and stir in the salt. After 30 minutes, the drink will cool to the desired temperature.
The big mistake is to try to chill the wine in the freezer, it will take much longer than chilling in an ice bucket. After half an hour, you will get a bottle with ice walls and warm contents.
Excessive alcohol consumption is harmful to your health. Take care of yourself!
Now you know everything about the correct temperature for serving wine and how cooling affects the taste of different types of drink! Do you agree with me or do you think that the taste of wine does not depend on the temperature of its serving?