During an evening with friends, you select one of your favorite bottles of red wine to impress your guests. To do it right, you even open it several hours in advance and decide to leave it at room temperature.
Convinced of impressing, you then serve the delicious bottle at the table, but to your dismay, it does not win unanimous approval. Too heady, heavier on the palate than usual, you don't understand what could have changed since your last tasting... You have just discovered why serving wine at the right temperature is crucial!
The serving temperature indeed greatly influences our perception of a wine's structure (alcohol, tannins, acidity) and its aromas.
Thus, it is essential to know at what temperatures to serve your precious bottles in order to enjoy them at their best.
Follow the guide and make no more mistakes when serving!
The importance of serving wine at the right temperature
To begin with, let's study the impacts that unsuitable serving temperatures can have on our tasting experience.
First of all, a serving temperature that is too low will tend to enhance the sensation of acidity in the mouth and make aroma detection more difficult.For a red wine, too much freshness will also excessively highlight the tannins, making the tasting less enjoyable.
Conversely, a service temperature that is too high will tend to weigh down your wine and make it less digestible. It will naturally lose freshness, and the perception of alcohol will then be heightened, sometimes even masking a large part of the aromas present in the wine.
The service temperature for red wines
The service temperature of red wines is far too often neglected compared to white or rosé wines.Many indeed think that simply leaving a bottle of red wine at room temperature is sufficient.
We often talk about "chambrer" red wine (bringing it to room temperature). However, this term dates back to a time when the average temperature in our homes was lower. Today, our houses and apartments are often heated to around 20-22°C (if not more for those who feel the cold). This is far too high for any wine!
Here are some guidelines to properly serve your red wines.
For very light red wines with few tannins, such as Beaujolais Nouveau, certain Poulsards from Jura, or even Gamays from Loire, it is recommended to serve them between 12-14°C to preserve all the freshness and fruitiness of these cuvées. For light and fruity red wines but with slightly more structure (fruity Pinot Noir from Burgundy or Sancerre, Cabernet Franc from Loire, Gamay from appellations like Morgon or Moulin-à-Vent, etc.), serving them between 14-16°C is preferable to better reveal the aromas.- For powerful, complex red wines with a higher tannic potential, the ideal serving temperature will be 16-18°C. This category includes red wines from Bordeaux, the Rhône Valley, Languedoc, or even Provence. Varieties like Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, or Merlot are well-suited to these serving temperatures. Finally, Premier Crus or Grands Crus from Burgundy are also often served within this range.
The serving temperature for white wines
The common mistake made for white wines is serving them too cold, which masks their aromas and can cause one to miss out on their complexity.
- For crisp, light, and fruit-focused white wines, a serving temperature between 8-10°C is recommended.In this category, for example, are wines from Chablis, certain whites from Alsace like Riesling, Sauvignons from the Loire, dry Chenins from the Loire, or even simple and light Chardonnays.
- For white wines with more body, roundness, and complexity, it is preferable to serve them between 11-13°C. For example, generous and ample Chardonnays from Meursault, structured white wines from Pessac-Léognan, or the delicious Viogniers from AOC Condrieu in the Rhône can be served at this temperature.
The serving temperature for sparkling wines
Associated with the joyful moments of life, sparkling wines should also be served at the right temperature to be ideally appreciated.
Indeed, if served too cold, the bubbles and aromas of these wines will be very discreet. On the contrary, a serving temperature that is too high will give the impression of a coarse bubble in the mouth and will lose that pleasant sensation of freshness.
- For crémants or classic champagnes "BSA" (Brut Sans Année), a service between 6-8°C is recommended.This will preserve all the lightness and freshness of the bubbles while perfectly appreciating all the aromas.
- For sparkling wines and champagnes with more structure and complexity, serving at 8-10°C will be preferable. This is often the case for vintage cuvées that are richer in aroma.
- Finally, for rare and vinous old champagnes, serving at 10-12°C is recommended.
The serving temperature for rosés
Embodiments of summer and beautiful days, rosés can also be served at different temperatures depending on their profiles.
- For fresh, fruity, and mineral rosés like the vast majority of those from Côtes-de-Provence or the rosés from Languedoc and Loire, a temperature between 8-10°C will be perfect to express their lively and sunny character.
- For more vinous and full-bodied rosés like those from Bandol or the small AOC Palette, the temperature should be raised, similar to a structured white wine, to 11-13°C to better appreciate their complexity.
The serving temperature for sweet wines
Finally, for sweet, semi-dry, or mellow wines, the sugar factor plays a key role. It is therefore important to serve them at the right temperature so that they are not perceived as too heavy, or even cloying, by our palate.
- For sweet wines that are aromatically simple and focused on fruit and pleasure, a serving temperature between 8-10°C will be perfect to maintain the balance of freshness and indulgence.This is, for example, the right temperature to serve a Muscat de Rivesaltes, a Gewurztraminer from Alsace , or even a sweet wine from IGP Côtes de Gascogne.
- For more complex and intense sweet wines like Sauternes, Coteaux-du-Layon, or even certain sweet red wines like those from Maury and Banyuls, a temperature of 10-12°C will be preferable to allow a better appreciation of all the present aromas.
Need advice?
You now know the main guidelines to serve all your wines at the ideal temperature.Do not hesitate to invest in a wine cellar to control this aspect as best as possible: the refrigerator is indeed very practical but not ideal due to its lack of precision!
And if you still have a doubt or a question, do not hesitate to contact
