| Serving temperatures definitely make a difference | | | | allow it to chill for 30 minutes to an hour. If the |
| in how wines are enjoyed by the tasters. In | | | | wine is chilled too long and served too cold the |
| general, white wines are best when they are | | | | aromas and flavors of the wine will be |
| served chilled. These wines would be your Pinot | | | | suppressed. |
| Gris, Rieslings, and Gewurtraminers. Chilling of | | | | Red wines on the other hand are served at |
| these wine varieties helps to preserve the fresh | | | | cooler room temperatures. Do not allow your |
| fruity flavors. One possible exception to this rule | | | | wine to become too warm. You should keep it in |
| for chilling temperatures of white wines is | | | | an area of the house which is cooler. When wine |
| Chardonnay. Chardonnays are fermented and | | | | is served too warm it tends to take on an |
| more complex and thus should be chilled at the | | | | alcohol, almost vinegar like edge which is an |
| very upper end of the white wine chilling (55 | | | | unbalanced and unpleasant taste. |
| degrees F). | | | | Here is a guide to the optimal wine serving |
| There are special wine refrigerators, however if | | | | temperatures for various wine varietals: |
| you are chilling your own wine you can either use | | | | White Wines: 45-50 degrees F (except |
| a regular refrigerator or a bucket of ice water. | | | | Chardonnay: 55 degrees F |
| To chill wine in a refrigerator it will take | | | | Red Wines: 55-65 degrees F |
| approximately three to four hours to chill to the | | | | Sparkling Wines: 42-52 degrees F |
| correct serving temperature (refrigeration chills | | | | Rose Wines: 45-55 degrees F |
| the wine approximately 5 degrees per half hour | | | | I've seen these serving temperatures vary by a |
| of chilling). You should never leave a bottle of | | | | few degrees one way of the other on a few |
| wine in the refrigerator for more than a day or | | | | sites, however these are the rules I was given |
| two. Wine left in the refrigerator too long will | | | | long long long ago by one of my wine mentors |
| result in a "corked wine". No matter what, you | | | | and they are the ones I've always followed. |
| should resist the temptation to try and quickly chill | | | | Wine experts would cringe at the thought of |
| a bottle of wine by popping it into the freezer. | | | | adding ice cubes directly to your wine glass, |
| By far the preferred method for chilling wine is in | | | | however my rule is enjoy your wine the way you |
| a bucket of ice and water. Fill the bucket | | | | like it...and if a cube or 2 does it for you then by |
| approximately 2/3 full of ice and then add some | | | | all means enjoy...after all it is your glass of wine! |
| water. Bury your bottle of wine in the ice and | | | | |