Wine Serving

last updated 25 June 2024

Under Construction

Contents: Serving temperature | Decanting | Glasses Wine Serving tips (wine - food pairing) at: FurlongsLiquor.com
Quarterly Review of Wines (QRW.com)

Ideal Wine Serving Temperatures
he old rule, was to serve red wines at room temperature and white wines (and roses) chilled.
When I was a freshman at UC Davis our dorm advisor was Professor Amerine a world renowned enologist. In a Q&A session someone askes about some of these wine rules, likes serving red wines at room temperature and white wines (and roses) chilled and paring of wine with food.
Dr Amerine said those temperature rules were from the English and French in the 18th century, when room temperature in an old castle was in the 60s and you should drink what you like and forget about those paring rules.

The Right Temperature To Serve Every Type Of Wine | vinepair.com
Cooler serving temperatures can mute the aromatics of a wine and emphasize its structure, making the acidity more apparent, but also pumping up the tannins and bitterness. ThatÕs why wines that are aromatic Ñ like a Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, or Gamay Ñ can benefit from a chill, since the aromas are strong enough to persist through cold temperatures. But donÕt go chilling all your bottles from sunrise on: wines that have more subtle flavor profiles or are more full-bodied can completely lose their character if theyÕre served too cold. Wines high in tannin Ñ like orange wines made with longer macerations or heavy reds like Cabernet Sauvignon or Aglianico, for example Ñ are best enjoyed at the higher end of the temperature range because chilling them can make them unpleasant and astringent to drink.

Ice Cold (40 to 50 degrees) - Sparkling Wine
Cold (45 to 55 degrees) - White Wine. Rose Wine
Chilled (55 to 60 degrees) - Light-Bodied Red Wine
Cool (60 to 65 degrees) - Medium to Full-Bodied Red Wine

Proper Wine Serving Temperature | FineWineReserve.com Proper Wine Serving Temperature

Temp F Temp C Wines

64¡ 18¡ Bordeaux (best), Rhone , CNDP, Barolo, Cab. Sauv. (US), Zinfandel (heavy), Brunello di Montalcino

63¡ 17¡ Chianti Classico & Rioja (Reserva), Barbaresco , Cab. Sauvignon (Chilean/Australian), Pinotage

61¡ 16¡ Bordeaux (most), Burgundy (Nuits & best Beaune), Barbera, Shiraz/Merlot/ Pinot Noir (US)

59¡ 15¡ Chianti Classico & Rioja (most), Zinfandel (light)

57¡ 14¡ Burgundy (most Beaune), Valpolicella (Amarone)

54¡ 12¡ Beaujolais , Valpolicella (except Amarone)

52¡ 11¡ Chardonnay & White Burgundy (best quality), Viognier , Red Sancerre

50¡ 10¡ Tokay, Sauternes, Beaujolais Nouveau, Bardolino, White Rhone (north), White Rioja (oaked)

48¡ 9¡ Riesling , Chablis, Alsace , White Chalonnaise & Maconnais, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc

47¡ 8¡ Chardonnay & White Burgundy (medium quality), White Bordeaux, Semillon, White Rhone (south)

45¡ 7¡ Champagne/Rose (best quality), Sauvignon Blanc, Savenniers, Vouvray, Pouilly-Fume, White Sancerre

43¡ 6¡ Ice Wines , White Bordeaux, Muscadet, Anjou , Asti , White Rioja (unoaked)

41¡ 5¡ Rose (cheap), Swiss Chasselas, Vihno Verde, Soave

37¡ 3¡ Champagne (cheap)

35¡ 2¡ Fridge Temperature

0¡ -18¡ Freezer Temperature

Proper Sweet Wine Serving Temperature

Temp F Temp C Fortified Wines

64¡ 18¡ Vintage Port

63¡ 17¡ Amontillados & Olorosos Sherry

59¡ 15¡ Ruby Port

57¡ 14¡ Tawny Port (older) & Madeira

52¡ 11¡ Tawny Port (younger)

47¡ 8¡ White Port, Finos Sherry

fine wine reserve in Ontario, Canada generally has the lower temperature in the list above.
WineWare in Littlehampton West Sussex, UK has slightly higher recommendations for reds, but lower for chardonnay
Wine Serving Temperature Guidelines | FineWine Reserve
See Why wine temperature matters | SubRosa Wine
Perfect Drinking Temperature for Wine | WineWare
Wine Serving Temperature Guidelines

Temp F	Temp C	Wines
64¡	18¡	Bordeaux (best), Rhone , CNDP, Barolo, Cab. Sauv. (US), Zinfandel (heavy), Brunello di Montalcino
63¡	17¡	Chianti Classico & Rioja (Reserva), Barbaresco , Cab. Sauvignon (Chilean/Australian), Pinotage
61¡	16¡	Bordeaux (most), Burgundy (Nuits & best Beaune), Barbera, Shiraz/Merlot/ Pinot Noir (US)
59¡	15¡	Chianti Classico & Rioja (most), Zinfandel (light)
57¡	14¡	Burgundy (most Beaune), Valpolicella (Amarone)
54¡	12¡	Beaujolais , Valpolicella (except Amarone)
52¡	11¡	Chardonnay & White Burgundy (best quality), Viognier , Red Sancerre
50¡	10¡	Tokay, Sauternes, Beaujolais Nouveau, Bardolino, White Rhone (north), White Rioja (oaked)
48¡	9¡	Riesling , Chablis, Alsace , White Chalonnaise & Maconnais, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc
47¡	8¡	Chardonnay & White Burgundy (medium quality), White Bordeaux, Semillon, White Rhone (south)
45¡	7¡	Champagne/Rose (best quality), Sauvignon Blanc, Savenniers, Vouvray, Pouilly-Fume, White Sancerre
43¡	6¡	Ice Wines , White Bordeaux, Muscadet, Anjou , Asti , White Rioja (unoaked)
41¡	5¡	Rose (cheap), Swiss Chasselas, Vihno Verde, Soave
37¡	3¡	Champagne (cheap)
35¡	2¡	Fridge Temperature
0¡	-18¡	Freezer Temperature
Proper Sweet Wine Serving Temperature
Temp F	Temp C	Fortified Wines
64¡	18¡	Vintage Port
63¡	17¡	Amontillados & Olorosos Sherry
59¡	15¡	Ruby Port
57¡	14¡	Tawny Port (older) & Madeira
52¡	11¡	Tawny Port (younger)
47¡	8¡	White Port, Finos Sherry

Decanting/Breathing:
A little aeration can make a striking difference in the flavor of your wine.

This is referred to as letting your wine breath or oxidizing it and done with the process of decanting.
Most red wines need at least 15 minutes for their reductive traits to evaporate. After that, an extra 15 to 30 minutes will make the remaining sharp aromas a lot milder. At the 60-minute mark, the tannins will become less intense. JJ Buckey

Generally, the longer a wine will keep in the cellar, the longer the decanting time should be when the wine is young. For example, a two-year-old wine that you have been advised will drink perfectly in ten years should be decanted at least two hours before enjoying. But when that same wine is close to ten years old, decanting for 30 minutes to one hour should be enough.
If your red wine is young with chunky tannins, letting the wine breath for about 1 to 2 hours will reduce any harshness and bring out a more velvet-like texture.
The older the wine, the more delicate it is.
Aromas and flavours can lose their strength quite quickly in an aged red wine, so the length of decanting (or any at all) wonÕt always be necessary. If your wine is over 10 years old, pour yourself a glass to see if it needs to breathe. HonestGrapes

For example, a two-year-old wine that you have been advised will drink perfectly in ten years should be decanted at least two hours before enjoying. But when that same wine is close to ten years old, decanting for 30 minutes to one hour should be enough. Princess and Bear

If your bottle is a lighter wine, or less alcoholic or concentrated in flavour, 30 minutes of breathing time should be ample.
Most white wines and rosŽs don't really need to be decanted, except in certain circumstances. See below>

. Decanting has numerous benefits, including separating the sediment from the liquid. This is especially helpful for red wines, which hold the most sediment.
Decanting also enhances a wine's flavor by exposing it to fresh air, and allowing it to breathe.

Decanting wine is the art of slowly pouring your wine from its original bottle into a glass vessel or decanter. We call it an "art" because you need to do it without disturbing the sediment at the bottom Ñ which is easier said than done.

Tasting: How to taste wine | BBC Good Food
Short version so you look like you know what you're doing (see link for what to look for)

Appearance: Pour the wine into a glass and Look at it:
- How intense is the colour? In reds this could range from a deep purple to a pale red.
- Does the wine cling to the glass as you move it. These trails are known as legs.
- Clarity, is it bright or slightly murky?
Smell: Give the wine a swirl. Put your nose in, and breath in gently.
It helps to do this with an open mouth to open up your olfactory system.
Taste: Take a small sip, not a big gulp, and hold it in your mouth, swirl it around and breath in a little.

Storing an unfinished bottle:
Best not to decant the whole bottle if youÕre not going to drink it all. Instead, pour a glass or two of wine an hour before serving. Then, "aspirate" the bottle (remove the air) with a vacuum pump such as a VacuVin Wine Saver and store for later. We like to aspirate our bottles then refrigerate. Most red wines will keep for two to three days, but we've had several drink really well after a week! Princess and Bear

Links:
When, and Why, Should You Decant Wines? | JJ Buckey
How Long Should Red Wine Breathe? | HonestGrapes
Do Wines Really Need to Breathe? | The princess and the Bear
Five reasons for Letting Wine Breathe | Youngberg Hill

Books:
Kevin Zraly Windows on the World Complete Wine Course: 35th Edition, 2020