The serving temperature of a wine changes how it tastes completely. Too cold and the aromas switch off. Too warm and the alcohol sticks out and the wine turns heavy. You don’t need a cellar or even a thermometer: a few rules and a fridge are enough.
Wine serving temperature: a rough guide
- Sparkling wine and cava: 6 to 8 °C.
- Light whites and rosés: 8 to 10 °C.
- Full-bodied or aged whites: 10 to 12 °C.
- Young reds: 14 to 16 °C.
- Aged reds, reserva and gran reserva: 16 to 18 °C.
- Sweet wines: 6 to 10 °C, depending on the style.
The twenty degrees of “room temperature” date from an age of cold houses. Today, a red served at room temperature in summer turns heavy and boozy.
How to get there without overthinking it
A white or rosé needs about two or three hours in the fridge. If you’re in a hurry, a bucket of ice and water chills it in about twenty minutes. A young red benefits from fifteen or twenty minutes in the fridge before serving, and for an aged red ten minutes is enough. Avoid the freezer: it’s easy to forget the bottle in there, and it can burst.
The glasses
A stemmed glass, neither too small nor too big, filled only a third of the way. That leaves the wine room to breathe and lets you swirl it without spilling. Holding the glass by the stem keeps your hand from warming the wine.
How to store unopened bottles
Wine wants a dark, cool place without sudden changes, ideally between 12 and 16 °C. A cupboard away from the kitchen and any source of heat can work. If the bottle has a cork, store it lying down so the cork doesn’t dry out. Avoid direct light, vibration and strong smells.
And once it's open
Tapa l’ampolla i guarda-la a la nevera, també els negres. Els blancs i els rosats aguanten entre tres i cinc dies, els negres entre dos i tres, i els escumosos un o dos amb un tap especial. Els vins dolços i generosos duren més. Treu el negre de la nevera mitja hora abans de beure’l.
Si vols trobar un vi per a una ocasió concreta, mira el catàleg o prova el sommelier virtual.
Si només pots canviar una cosa, que sigui aquesta: la temperatura de servei del vi és la manera més barata de millorar qualsevol ampolla.
Frequently asked questions
Can red wine be stored in the fridge?
Yes, once opened. It keeps better in the fridge, and you take it out half an hour before serving so it warms up.
How long does wine last once opened?
Whites and rosés, three to five days in the fridge. Reds, two to three. Sparkling wines, one or two days with a suitable stopper.
Should bottles be stored lying down?
If they have a cork, yes, so that the cork stays moist. With a screw cap or synthetic stopper it isn’t essential.
Can you chill wine quickly in the freezer?
You can, for fifteen or twenty minutes, with a timer. A bucket of ice and water is safer: it chills the bottle in about twenty minutes with no risk.
