Wine is a true delight for the palate whose flavor can be enhanced if served at the correct temperature, as this factor plays a decisive role in the sensation that the broth transmits to us when tasted.
If you have found this page, you are probably looking for information on how to measure the temperature of the wine so that its flavor is not altered .
Keep reading because below I am going to reveal all the secrets about a matter that you have to master, since otherwise you will never get to enjoy a good wine as it should.
Index
What is the ideal temperature of the wine?
The service temperature of the wines must be very taken into account when giving these wines the importance they deserve. In this regard, various mistakes are usually made, although the most common is usually to contemplate what is known as “room temperature”.
This term was coined in the context of French castles centuries ago, referring to the domestic temperatures of yesteryear , much colder than today, due to the lack of heating.
With the above, I am referring to an ambient temperature that could be around 16 ° and that, therefore, was quite acceptable in relation to certain types of wines.
Such temperature has little to do with the 22 or 23 ° that is recorded today inside any house and that is not valid to extrapolate such a custom to our warm climate, since the wines could lose many of their characteristics as a result. incredible qualities
The next step is to avoid “very cold” wine because, at a very low service temperature, the wine loses a large amount of its aromas, due to the fact that the volatile components are not released.
A very cold wine will show little flavor.
The advantage of cold is that it helps to soften the acidity in the whites, so they are served slightly cold, helping to soften that acidity somewhat but without obscuring its fruity flavor.
Unfortunately, wine preservation is one aspect of the wine world that has been more neglected by popular culture than others .
Thus, while most of us value an optimal pairing between wine and food , there are many who do not know how to preserve a wine properly at home.
This is the reason why I want to give you some simple notions about how to maintain the temperature of the wine , differentiated between reds, whites and rosés, allowing you to discover all its aromas and characteristics and making the wine evolve more or less quickly.
Let’s see what is the ideal temperature for each type of wine?
In wine bar (conservation)
Depending on the type of wine we are talking about, the temperature in the wine cellar should be between 10 and 16 ° .
He thinks that setting the temperature below 10 ° would be equivalent to slowing down the maturation or evolution process of this type of wine and that its development would become more gradual.
On the contrary, temperatures that exceed 16 ° are not recommended because they would cause an evolution in its level of practically artificial maturity to what the living being that inhabits the bottle commonly supports, that is, the wine.
Tinto
The temperatures of red wines will vary depending on how they are made. At low temperature, the alcoholic sensation in the wine is reduced , mitigating the acidic or sweet edges. However, the astringency of the tannins is accentuated.
To serve, drink or drink
The temperatures of red wines according to their elaboration are:
- Young reds. They are more acidic wines, with less tannic load and structure, so these wines are served somewhat colder. The recommended temperature for young wines without aging in wood will oscillate between 12 and 15 °.
- Reds aged in barrels. They are wines that have remained between 6 and 12 months in oak barrels or similar. The recommended temperature for these wines with a medium tannin load and decreased acidity will range between 14 and 17 °.
- Reds with a long stay in the barrel. They are wines with more than 12 months in the barrel and that can exceed 36 months of aging. The serving temperature for these tannic wines will range between 16 and 20 °.
White
It is not always easy to agree on the ideal temperature of the wine. As for the target, it is not spared from this discussion and the possibilities are various.
To serve, drink or drink
The general rule is that white wine is served cold. Depending on the white wine, we will establish a different temperature:
- White wines rich in fruit and flower can be served very cold, between 4 and 5 °
- Wines with a toasted character or aging have a less fresh consumption that will approach 12 °
Pinkish
Although a glass of rosé wine is always appetizing, in summer even more so . Savoring all of its connotations together with its freshness is one of our allies to combat the heat.
To serve, drink or drink
As with whites, in the case of rosés we must also bear in mind their properties to find the right temperature:
- The lightest rosés are served at a temperature between ° and 7 °
- The more full-bodied rosés are served at a temperature that can reach 9 °
Therefore, we are talking about an average of between 5 and 10 ° to fully enjoy a rosé.
How to correctly maintain the temperature of the wine?
I’m sure it sometimes happens to you that, when you get a good bottle of wine or buy it, you have doubts about whether to drink it on the go or keep it for a better occasion.
You don’t have to have a wine cellar at home to need some advice regarding the most correct way to preserve wine. Here are some!
- Ally yourself with freshness. The best thing you can do to preserve a wine is to keep it in a place at a cool and stable temperature. Bear in mind that if it is heated, it could lose certain aspects of its aroma and flavor. Never keep it higher than 21 °.
- Forget the refrigerator. I’m sorry to tell you that your refrigerator is not the ideal place to store your wine unless you are storing a white wine for dinner. Otherwise, it would get too cold and this would end up affecting the corks. Alternatively, you can put the wine in the cellar or in a cupboard where it stays cool. If you are trying to store more than one bottle, consider buying a refrigerator specially designed for wines.
- Keep it in the dark. Light and wine are enemies by nature. Make sure the wine location is dark and not exposed to sunlight. Otherwise, you risk the wine aging prematurely and deteriorating its overall quality. If desired, take the extra precaution of using incandescent bulbs instead of fluorescent bulbs.
- Lay the bottle on its side. The fact that the wine racks are designed so that the wine remains lying is not the result of chance. By storing the bottle on its side, you prevent the wine from touching the cork, keeping it moist and preventing it from drying out.
- Avoid moving it. Since the key to a good wine is consistency, try not to move the bottle if you don’t have to. In this way you will be “healing in health”, since there is the hypothesis that vibrations end up affecting the quality of the wine in the long term, so you should limit the movement of the bottle as much as possible.
- Know your wine. Buying the bottle and simply storing it is not the best idea. Talk to the wine producer during the purchasing process and ask for advice on aging the wine and how long you should wait. After all, while some wines need to age 20 years or more and only improve over time, others have to be consumed in a few years, before they start to change negatively.
Last conclusions
Finally, emphasize that taking care of the serving temperature will directly influence how the aromas of the wine are perceived.
At very low temperatures , the aromas of the wine are masked and become more difficult to perceive. In addition, flavors that sometimes do not proceed are enhanced, such as sweet and sour.
At somewhat higher temperatures , a greater perception of aromas is achieved, although an excess can lead to the enhancement of alcohols and the burning of the wine. There is also an enhancement of sweet flavors, something that may not be interesting.
Let’s toast because you find the balance point!
