Why do we chill white wine but serve red wine at room temperature?
One of the most gut-wrenching sights I have ever seen is a person I love dearly dropping several ice cubes into a stein of beer. Appalling! But then part of being an adult is coming to terms with the fact that those you love are not perfect. There are also people who get a little cold-crazy with wine, making a slurpy-slush ice drink out of the best vino. Cease and desist, please! Allowing for a little variation in taste – careful, we’re watching you – the whites go in the fridge and the reds are served at room temperature, or slightly below. Here’s why: Reds are fermented with the grape skin. This leaves them with tannins and other acidic components, the bitter taste of which is magnified by chilling, overwhelming the grape flavor. The skinless, tannin-less whites simply taste better cold. But remember, you’re not going to skate on it. Who is buried on the moon? What little bit of cleverness is this going to involve, you might be thinking. What have they been smoking? Well, there’s act
