Warm Red Wine

When I am not acting as your New Jersey Monthly wine blogger, fearless avenger of all myths wine-related, I try to behave like an ordinary citizen—resisting the temptation to set the wine record straight, even when the situation practically begs me to.

Such was the case on a recent night out when I submerged a bottle of red wine into a bucket of ice while ignoring the look of disdain on my waiter’s face. Clearly he didn’t realize that when it comes to red wine, room temperature is a relative term especially if the mercury outside is creeping toward 90.

A few minutes later, a more enjoyable bottle emerged from the ice bucket with its fruit flavors and aromas revived, its alcohol and tannins back into balance. All it took was a couple of degrees to bring out the true personality of the wine. On the flip side, if your white wine seems to be nothing but acidity, let it sit outside the bucket until it shows some life.

Whether red or white, wines served too cold or too warm can have their pleasing qualities masked and their disagreeable characteristics exaggerated. In other words they are a bit like us—not always their usual selves in the heat of summer or the dead of winter.

An ice bucket filled with half cold water and half ice (also called an ice bath) is the fastest method of chilling wine. The bucket should be deep enough to submerge the bottle up to its neck.

Following are suggested serving temperatures for different styles of wines, but it’s best not to get too uptight about it. Trust your taste buds. They will let you know if your bottle is thermally challenged.

Sparkling wines: Very cold (46°). Chill for about 30 minutes.
White wines: Cold (50°). Chill for about 20 minutes.
Reds wines: Room temperature (62°-64°) Chill for about 5 minutes.
Light-bodied reds: Lightly chilled (56°). Chill for 10 to 15 minutes.

Tags: Wine