We all know that white wines should be served cold and red wines at room temperature. But an article in the Washington Post points out that many of us often drink our whites too cold and our reds too warm. And this can have a significant effect on the wine’s taste.
A refrigerator temperature of 40 degrees will deaden the wine’s fruit while magnifying its acid and alcohol. If a bottle is too cold, the article advises leaving it out at room temperature for 30 minutes or so before drinking.
As for reds, the notion that they should be served at room temperature dates is outmoded: Red wines served at 70 degrees or higher can taste flabby. A slight chill, perhaps a half hour in the refrigerator (on the door) can brighten the fruit and lift the aromas. One restaurant operator interviewed in the D.C. area keeps white wines are kept at a steady 50 degrees, reds at 62 degrees.
If you’re about to serve a white that is refrigerator-cold, you might ask the guests if they’d prefer it to be left on the table instead of in an ice bucket so that it warms and opens up the flavors. And if you suspect a bottle of red is too warm, you can offer to chill it briefly or ask if the guests would like an ice bucket.
Read the full article here.