I’ve been teaching wine appreciation classes throughout Metro Vancouver for 25 years and here’s a question I am frequently asked.
What temperature should I serve different types of wine?
Of course it depends on the kind of wine. But the basic rule of thumb is chill all wines. For example Champagne and other sparkling wines such as Proseccos and Cavas should be cold, 6° to 8°C. The colder it is, the longer the bubbles will last, and part of the appeal of these wines is the sparkle.
Put them in the fridge for three hours or an ice bath for half an hour, but bring them out 10 minutes before you pop the cork. If it is too cold, you won’t be able to savour the complex bouquet and flavour that premium bubblies have.
And please don’t use the typical wedding champagne glass with its wide bowl. You will lose your bubbles faster because of the greater surface area. Instead, use a tall flute glass so that the bubbles don’t disappear and you get to see them rise to the surface. You might even want to chill your glasses — that keeps the bubbles longer.
For white wines you want them cold, as well, between 7° and 10°C. White wines are lighter and simpler than reds, with basically two ingredients: fruit and acid.
When a white is chilled properly, the acid is more pronounced and it makes the fruit more appealing. Too warm and the wine will seem limp.
But if it’s too cold, you won’t be able to smell the aroma very well and you can’t taste much with a numb tongue.
I would suggest putting the bottle of white in the fridge for a couple of hours, but take it out 15 minutes before you serve it. Chardonnay, one of the most popular white wines, is a white wine that secretly wants to be a red. So, only chill it for an hour and take it out a quarter of an hour before pouring.
Many people think that red wines should be served at room temperature, but that’s not correct. Our centrally heated homes which are often 25°C are too warm for reds. Serve them at cellar temperature which is 12°C for lighter reds and up to 18°C for heavier ones.
Living in Richmond, most of us don’t have an underground cellar, but a garage at this time of year is like a cellar. Or you can put the wine in the fridge for an hour and take it out 10 minutes before pouring light reds such as Pinot Noir, Beaujolais, or Valpolicella.
For heavier reds — Bordeaux, Cabernets, and Shirazes — put the wine in the fridge for half an hour and take it out for 10 minutes before serving. This is crucial in summer time when it’s really warm.
Red wines don’t have as much acid as whites, and when they’re warm, they lack the refreshing crispness.
The alcohol level which is high in reds is even more pronounced and off-putting when the wine is too warm. But if a heavy red is too cold, the bitter tannins will be stronger and out of balance.
Ports and Sherries which are sweet, fortified wines should be treated like heavier reds and chilled for at least half a hour.
For dessert wines such as Sauternes, Late Harvest and Ice Wines, chill them like a white. Cold temperatures will cut down some of the sweetness and emphasize the acidity which will balance and temper the sweetness.
I have found that these basic procedures of chilling have worked for my tastes for decades. And now it’s your turn. It is time to discover how best to serve your wines.
Be prepared for lots of research but enjoy the tasty journey!
Eric Hanson is a local retired teacher and wine educator.
