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My friend insists on chilling his red wine so that he can drink it at “cellar temperature.” Is he a pompous ass? If not, what do I need to know about chilling red wine?
Contrary to popular wisdom, reds are best served slightly cool. The lower temperature will soften any alcoholic fumes or mouthfeel that might overpower the fruit. A simple rule is this: The younger, more lighter-bodied, and simply structured the wine, the more easily it’s overpowered by the alcohol, and therefore the cooler it’s served. Beaujolais, one of the youngest wines, should be downright cold, at 50°F–54°F to allow its fruity, refreshing flavor to come through. Lighter-bodied reds like Chianti and some pinot noirs are best served slightly chilled at 55°F–60°F. And the more full-bodied, such as Syrahs and cabernets, are best drunk a touch warmer than a wine cellar: 59°F–64°F. Mark Davidson, a wine educator who trains sommeliers in Vancouver, recommends putting bottles in the fridge for 10–15 minutes before serving.
Never Ice!!!!! Invest in a wine chiller and be patient! If you treat wine well, it will be great for you!
okay, so that "castle" theory makes sense to me....
Thanks for broadening my horizons :)
I agree that ice dilllutes the taste of the wine - and that truly destroys the flavor - however, if in a pinch I've been known to throw an ice cube in the best of my white wines. My theory - better to put an ice cube in it than to drink it warm.
Salut :)
The rule of thumb with wine is serve whites chilled anywhere from 43-55 F. Red at 60- 65. Room temprature was created when castles were the home and were generally very cool. Would you serve a wine at 90 degrees on a very hot day?
Chill a red to 60-65 gegrees F. To put an ice cube in a Tavel Rose even on an August day is a sin!!!!!!! Keep your wine in a chiller and all will be well.
I think the whole Montessori impulse--e.g. "boil it, or make popsicles of it, if it tastes good to YOU"--that seems to appear whenever anyone dares offer guidance on the enjoyment of wine is most amusing.
It's sort of a preachiness in the guise of anti-preachiness, no?
No doubt the Chinese putting ice cubes and sugar in their wine like it that way and more power to them if it leads them down...+READ
I think the whole Montessori impulse--e.g. "boil it, or make popsicles of it, if it tastes good to YOU"--that seems to appear whenever anyone dares offer guidance on the enjoyment of wine is most amusing.
It's sort of a preachiness in the guise of anti-preachiness, no?
No doubt the Chinese putting ice cubes and sugar in their wine like it that way and more power to them if it leads them down the path to one day appreciating fine wine. But it doesn't meant here's anything wrong with giving or receiving timeworn advice on the conditions that are most likely to maximize one's experience.
P.S. Nothing wrong with a single cube in that $11.99 Tavel rose on a hot August day!-COLLAPSE
I am going to be paying much more attention to the serving temperature now. My house is at a constant 76 degrees, so I will definitely try chilling my wines for a few minutes.
~Cheers!
$5 Wines- Tastings and Reviews
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Whatever you like is fine, go for it- just be aware of how bizarre your personal preference is when you have guests and try to ratchet down accordingly.
I would say room tempreture unless it is very hot then you can leave for few minutes in the freeze and serve it.
>>But an expensive Bourdeau, never, ever, ever.
wrong
>>I just go by price, the cheaper somthing is, the cooler I like it.
and wronger
It depends on the wine and the person, but personally I like to start it off cold (a little under 60) and enjoy it as it comes up to however warm it is that day. I like the feeling of drinking something that tastes slightly cool but not cold.
If it's warmer than 80 degrees out, I'll definitely put it in the fridge.
The classic recommendation to server wine at room temperature is correct when you remember that it was intended for London England before they had central heating.
It meant roughly 60 degrees F.
And the preferred red wine was claret which was the British word for Bordeaux wines. Don't forget to pronounce the t in claret since it is an English word and not a French word.
-so, if one lived in Aruba (where room temperture can be in the 90'sF) one should take a nice cab from the wine celler(temp-56 degrees) and what? microwave it up 30 some degrees?
Room temp is an old term - todays reality means -62for most reds and 55(no lower) for most whites(excluding sparklers where 48 degrees would be appropriate.
Nothing messes up the taste of a wine other than temperature...+READ
-so, if one lived in Aruba (where room temperture can be in the 90'sF) one should take a nice cab from the wine celler(temp-56 degrees) and what? microwave it up 30 some degrees?
Room temp is an old term - todays reality means -62for most reds and 55(no lower) for most whites(excluding sparklers where 48 degrees would be appropriate.
Nothing messes up the taste of a wine other than temperature -- This is why most professional tastings are conducted at 60 degrees for reds and whites - brings out the FLAWS!-COLLAPSE
I find that it rally depends on the wine itself. When somting is young and fun and light, like a nice young zin, I prefer it cooler. But an expensive Bourdeau, never, ever, ever. I just go by price, the cheaper somthing is, the cooler I like it.
On a random sidenote, I just returned from China and witnessed a strange sight - people were actually putting ice-subes and sugar into their wine!!...+READ
I find that it rally depends on the wine itself. When somting is young and fun and light, like a nice young zin, I prefer it cooler. But an expensive Bourdeau, never, ever, ever. I just go by price, the cheaper somthing is, the cooler I like it.
On a random sidenote, I just returned from China and witnessed a strange sight - people were actually putting ice-subes and sugar into their wine!! *SHUDDER*-COLLAPSE
My dad insists on shoving the bottle in the fridge for 15-20, but I prefer a warmer red, especailly since we drink a lot of Zins and Syrahs. I feel the flavor comes through better, but I'm claiming no formal expertise! What I want to know is what to do with that half-finished bottle if it's too good to cook with. We usually fridge it in my house, but then it's a chore to let it "thaw" if you plan...+READ
My dad insists on shoving the bottle in the fridge for 15-20, but I prefer a warmer red, especailly since we drink a lot of Zins and Syrahs. I feel the flavor comes through better, but I'm claiming no formal expertise! What I want to know is what to do with that half-finished bottle if it's too good to cook with. We usually fridge it in my house, but then it's a chore to let it "thaw" if you plan to eat soon after getting home from work.-COLLAPSE
Room temp for a red USED to refer to cellar temp... which, back in the day, was in the 50s-60s.
I say open it up and drink it!
I say drink it at whatever temperature YOU believe tastes best AND with whatever YOU think the wine will go best with.