Serving Temperature

Any wine, if served at the right temperature, brings forth the best of its bouquet and taste. Tasting wine means perceiving sensations ranging from "soft" to "sharp". The former are generated by the mellowness created by glycerine, alcohol, and sugar; the latter are due to tannin, mineral salts, and acids. Considering that higher temperatures emphasise mellowness, and vice-versa, there follows that serving temperatures do influence a wine's taste. This also applies to bouquet: if temperatures are too low, aromas are inhibited; if they are too high, the smell of evaporating alcohol covers all other perceptions. For some reason, restaurants tend to serve red wines too warm, and it is not a chance that producers of low-quality white wine recommend to serve it iced.

How to obtain the right temperature
Two types of wine thermometer are available: the immersion type, which must be inserted into the bottle or glass; and a bracelet-like one made of copper or plastic, to be placed around the bottle. How can one attain the right temperatures? Drastic methods (e.g. putting the bottle in the freezer, on a heater or even in the microwave) must be avoided: wine must be acclimatised slowly, by removing it from the cellar on time and checking its temperature frequently. Besides, since bottles are stored horizontally, they should be put upright at least 48 hours before opening, in order to allow for the precipitation of sediments. White wines should be cooled in an ice bucket. Becoming familiar with these methods requires time, but results are worth the effort. To prove the point, we suggest a simple test: try a wine, firstly at the right temperature, then slightly colder or warmer (e.g., ± 4° C), and see the difference.

The ideal serving temperatures are the following:
Sparkling wines: 8°C ± 1°C
Dry white/rosé wine: 10°C ± 1°C
Mellow white/rosé wine: 12°C ± 1°C
Low-tannin and light red wine: 14°C ± 1°C
Medium-tannin red wine: 16°C ± 1°C
Tannic and full-bodied red wine: 18°C ± 1°C

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