Are You Drinking Your White Wines at the Wrong Temperature?

Your refrigerator temperature is in the mid- to upper-30s degrees Fahrenheit. Typically people put their white wines in the fridge for awhile before drinking. Most don't like their white wine at room temp, usually thought of as 68 degrees or more. As it turns out, serving it too cold is just as bad as serving it too warm.

If the wine is too cold you've lost most of the flavors and aromas the vineyard and the winemaker worked to put in your wine. Okay, this might be a good idea if you have a really bad wine, but lets assume you bought something you actually want to taste. Serving it too cold is a waste of good wine!

Whites can usually be served between 45 and 55 degrees. So even the low end temperature is quite a bit warmer than your fridge. The higher temp is a typical wine cellar or basement reading. Sauv Blanc, Pinot Gris and sparkling wines can go at 45 degrees. Chardonnay at 55. Rosé in the middle at about 50 degrees.

So how do you get that bottle to the correct temperature? If it's fully chilled in the fridge then let it set out for a few minutes. If the bottle is at room temp then put it in the refrigerator for a half-hour or longer depending on the wine and the temperature it started with. You'll have to experiment a bit.

Red wines should be served at about 60 to 65 degrees. You can put them in the fridge for maybe fifteen minutes if they're too warm. You may find you'll want to do this in the summer, but in the winter they're okay without refrigerator because your room is a bit chilly.

The key is understanding that too cold means you are missing out!