What is the proper temperature at which to serve wine?
Although there is room for individual preference, my strong opinion is that most people drink their red wines too warm and their white wines too cold. Because alcohol has a lower boiling point than water, alcohol molecules become more active relative to the other components in a wine that is too warm. The result is that the wine is thrown off balance: you taste the heat of the alcohol over the fruit and other components. The alcohol then tends to overemphasize any bitterness in the wine. The absolute maximum temperature that red wine should be served at: 67 F. My preferred temperature: 62 – 65 F. Don’t be afraid to put a bottle of red wine in the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes (especially in the summer) or in an ice bucket for 2 – 3 minutes if your room temperature is 70 – 75 F. Light, fruity, non-tannic reds can take a bit more cooling if desired: upper 50’s Most people serve white wine at or near refrigerator temperature (or even colder, if they do the ice bucket routine). At this te
