The serving temperature of red wine is the ideal temperature for tasting the wine. Everything is ready at home, you have even downloaded your tasting sheet. But you are left with one question: what temperature should red wine be served at? It is to answer this question that we wrote this article. By the end of it, you will have no more excuses. So let’s discover the ideal serving temperature for red wine. With the temperature of your wine cellar being perfect, all you have left is to handle the service. Here we go!
Why choose a serving temperature for red wine?
First, serving red wine at the right temperature is essential to fully enjoy it. Both low and high temperatures have their downsides. First, low temperatures hold back the expression of the wine’s aromas. In such a case, the wine can express itself far less, which is a real shame. On the other hand, temperatures that are too high heighten the presence of alcohol, to the point of making the wine’s aromas disappear entirely. As a result, if you serve your red wine at too high a temperature, it will be completely out of balance. Serving a red wine too warm is a common mistake. So by choosing the right serving temperature, you can fully enjoy your wine. Neither too cold nor too hot, it can express itself fully and reveal all its secrets!
What is the serving temperature of red wine?
To answer this question, you first have to understand how to determine the serving temperature of red wine. The temperature for serving red wine depends on various factors. First, the tannins in the wine play an important role. The more tannic a wine, the higher its ideal tasting temperature. The grape varieties in the wine, its region of origin and its age are also factors to take into account when assessing the temperature for serving wine. As a rule, remember that a great wine is generally served a little warmer than other wines. The table below shows the serving temperature of red wine for each type of wine:
| Type of wine | Wine serving temperature |
|---|---|
| Fruity red wines | 11°C to 12°C |
| Low-tannin wines, vins doux naturels | 13°C to 14°C |
| Tannic red wines | 15°C to 16°C |
| Reds concentrated in alcohol | 15°C |
| Supple red wines | 16°C to 17°C |
Be careful, though, the wine warms up in your glass! Even if you know how to hold your wine glass well, the contents can warm up by 1°C to 2°C in just a few minutes. So remember to adjust the serving temperature for tasting your red wine. In general, keep in mind that it is better to serve a red wine slightly too cold: it will warm up in the glass. Our last tip is to use an insulating sleeve for your bottle. For red wine, this tip is very useful in summer. With this accessory, you will slow the warming of the bottle and keep the wine at the right temperature throughout your meal!
How to serve red wine at the right temperature?
To serve a red wine at the ideal temperature, you can let it warm up naturally. But this can be hit or miss. So we recommend investing in a wine service cellar. It is a wine cellar you set aside for storing the wine you are about to taste. By working this way, you can store bottles of wine at the ideal temperature for serving. Then all you have to do is open the bottle and aerate the wine to enjoy it. Using a service cellar guarantees an ideal temperature for serving red wine. So after keeping your wine at the ideal cellar temperature, you were able to aerate it. All that is left is to serve it at the perfect temperature to taste the wine in the best possible way!
