WHAT IS THE PERFECT WINE SERVING TEMPERATURE?
Check the ideal temperature to enjoy the different types of wine.
Find out how a few degrees more or less can change your wine tasting experience.
Did you know that temperature can influence the taste of wine?
Although it seems an exaggeration, there are some cases where just a few more or less degrees can significantly change the way we perceive a wine.
For you to have the best experience and enjoy your wine while taking advantage of all its characteristics, we help you to understand the ideal wine serving temperature.
Serving wine at room temperature: truth or myth?
Most certainly, the correct serving temperature for that wine at dinner has already been a topic of discussion among your group of friends. This is one of those controversial topics. There seems to be no unanimous opinion and some myths and outdated ideas persist.
One of those great myths is the idea that “wine should be served at room temperature”.
Let us just do a little exercise to understand this reasoning. Imagine living in Alentejo and serving red wine above 30° in summer. It would certainly be an unpleasant experience. In the same way, it is easy to understand that, in a country such as Portugal, with different climates, room temperature in winter in Bragança is quite different from what is felt, at the same time, in Faro.
Room temperature is therefore a very relative concept. Also, not all wines should be served at the same temperature. Depending on the characteristics, there is an ideal temperature for drinking each type of wine.
Here is our first suggestion: before opening a bottle of wine, take some time to check its temperature and make some adjustments, if necessary. Below you will find some guidelines to help you on that mission.
The ideal temperature to serve each type of wine
As for the white wines, it is important to privilege their freshness. For this reason, they should be served at lower temperatures so that their acidity and delicate aromas can be preserved.
Given the wine profile, the following ideal serving temperature is recommended:
▪ Fresh and light white wines – between 6° and 8°
▪ Complex, woody or aged white wines – between 10° and 12°
Also marked by lightness and freshness, rosé wines can have a little more structure than some white wines. This is due to a greater amount of tannins present in rosé wines, since these are usually made from red grapes. A rosé can be more or less tannic depending on how long, during the winemaking process, the must was in contact with the grapes skin, which is reflected in its more or less intense pink colour.
This difference is also reflected in the recommended serving temperature for this type of wine:
▪ Young, non-tannic rosé wines – between 8° and 10°
▪ More robust and structured rosé wines – between 10° and 12°
Unlike other types of wines, red wines should be served at slightly higher temperatures.
If served very chilled, red wine may taste excessively harsh and acidic due to tannins that stand out, making the aromas and typical taste characteristics barely perceptible.
The ideal serving temperature for these wines requires a certain balance according to the wine profile:
▪ Young and light white wines – between 12° and 14°
▪ Medium-bodied red wines – between 14° and 16°
▪ Full-bodied and more tannic red wines – between 16° and 18°
Depending on one's taste, in summer, a slightly refrigerated red wine can be more pleasant, provided this temperature difference does not affect or “disguise” its original characteristics.
In the case of the so-called liqueur wines, choosing the right serving temperature proves to be a slightly more complex exercise. This happens because this type of wine has a wide variety of flavours and aromas and, as such, the serving temperature will depend on the characteristics of the wine.
In fact, Port Wine is one of the great “victims” of the myth associated with wines served at room temperature, which we have already mentioned. Often, there are people who say they do not like this type of wine, simply because they are drinking it at the wrong temperature.
If, in the past, it was common to store these bottles in the coolness of the wine cellars, today, these conditions are hardly reproduced in our comfortable homes, which requires greater attention to the temperature when we serve a Port wine. If the wine is drunk at room temperature, it is more likely to be too hot and, as such, not very appealing.
Generally speaking, we can assume that wines with a young, light and fruity profile should be served slightly cooler. In turn, more aged, more complex and structured wines require higher temperatures.
When serving a Port wine, it is also important to take into account the time of the meal at which the wine will be tasted, as well as the dishes and flavours with which it will be paired.
As a guideline, recommended serving temperatures are as follows:
▪ Rosé Port – 4°
▪ White Port – between 6° and 10°
▪ Ruby Port – between 12° and 16°
▪ LBV or Vintage Port – 18°
▪ Tawny Port – between 10° and 14°
Make sure your wine has the best flavour
Knowing the ideal serving temperature for each type of wine makes it easier to explore its characteristics and get the most out of the tasting experience without any type of interference.
As we have seen, depending on the wine in question, its behaviour and sensitivity to temperature may vary, therefore, it is important to pay attention to the thermometer when serving the wine.
Nevertheless, the temperatures recommended by experts are mere guidelines. In the end, personal taste is the one that should prevail. The ideal serving temperature will be the one that is perfect for you to taste the wine you have in your glass.
Follow our suggestions to make sure your wine has the best flavour and so that you can toast to great moments.
Also take the opportunity to discover the wine selection we have for you at Uva WineShop.
