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Suggested Wine Serving Temperatures

How cool is too cool?

According to the world’s top wine experts, the following ranges are the perfect serving wine temperatures. However, because taste is so personal, find what works for you.

The bigger take away is to use this information to maximize your enjoyment. Is your white wine lacking distinctive flavors? It may be too cold; give it a few moments to warm up - and open up.

Is your red wine ‘flabby’ (too much like actual grape juice)? Try cooling it down a bit to restore freshness.

Many factors go into the science behind why increasing or decreasing temperatures in food and wine changes the taste, but the short explanation is that channels in our tastebuds react more intently to flavor as temperatures increase, which sends a stronger electric signal to the brain, and in turn, enhances taste.

Regarding wine serving temps, here is what the experts say:

  • 40-50F - Light, sweet, and sparkling wine

  • 45-55 F - Light, dry white

  • 50-55 F - Medium white, sparkling and light red

  • 52-63 F - Full bodied white and medium bodied red

  • 60-65 F - Full bodied, tannic red

Experiment with setting your fridges and coolers at these temps, and notice how flavors change and benefit as the wine warms up and cools down. Cheer and cheers!