Serving wine: that’s the topic of this 6th episode. Welcome to this 6th episode of the Club, the podcast that helps you learn about wine simply. In the previous episode, we taught you how to properly store wine. You now know perfectly well how to age your wine. So let’s move on to a very exciting part. Before that, if you like this podcast, I also invite you to take a few seconds to give it 5 stars on Apple Podcasts. It’s the best way to encourage me to keep going. So let’s get to the content of this podcast. Today, we are learning together how to serve wine. Yes, you have waited a long time for this special moment to drink the bottle that was in your wine cellar. So we are going to see together how to serve wine properly.
The serving temperature of wine
Let’s start by talking about the serving temperature of wine. In the previous episode, we talked about the ageing temperature. At that temperature, you allow the wine to evolve gently. Today, we are talking about the serving temperature of wine: that is to say the temperature at which the wine can express all its aromas. So you will be able to make the most of it. Setting this temperature is necessary for your wine service cellar.
A different temperature for serving wine
The serving temperature of wine is not the same depending on the type of wine you are tasting. Indeed, the serving temperature of red wine is higher than the serving temperature of white wine. Champagne is enjoyed at around 7°C. White wine is enjoyed between 8 and 12°C. There are differences between the various wines, but let’s not spend too much time on it. I have prepared a little summary table for you that will be available at the end of the article. The tasting temperature of rosé is roughly the same as that of white wine. For its part, red wine is enjoyed between 12°C and 20°C.
Summary table of wine serving temperatures
| Type of wine | Serving temperature |
| Champagne | 7 - 8°C |
| Acidic white wine | 9 - 10°C |
| Sweet white wine | 9 - 10°C |
| Vin jaune | 13 - 14°C |
| Oxidative wine | 13 - 14°C |
| Dry white wine | 11 - 12°C |
| Off-dry white wine | 11 - 12°C |
| Light red wine | 11 - 12°C |
| Beaujolais red wine | 13 - 14°C |
| Burgundy red wine | 15 - 16°C |
| Rhône red wine | 15 - 16°C |
| Loire red wine | 15 - 16°C |
| Bordeaux red wine | 17 - 18°C |
Finally, you have to take into account that wine warms up quite quickly in your wine glass. So remember to serve it in slightly more limited quantities to contain this phenomenon. Furthermore, for certain wines you can use an ice bucket or dedicated containers. I’ll give you some examples in the article for this podcast, the link is in the description. If you have joined the Club, you have these examples in your inbox!
Aerate or decant the wine?
Now that you are familiar with the serving temperature of wine, let’s move on to the question of the container to serve it in. You have often seen this incredible gesture into a magnificent carafe. But should you aerate or decant the wine? What is the difference between the two?
Aerating the wine
Aerating the wine means putting the wine into a carafe. This procedure lets you oxygenate the wine. Indeed, after being in the bottle for a long time, the wine may need to regain some oxygen to express all its aromas. But you must not aerate just any wine. As a general rule, you should not aerate the oldest wines. Such a brutal contact with oxygen could make them lose all their aromas. It would be a shame to have waited so long to taste the wine and not really enjoy it.
Decanting the wine
You can also decant the wine. This technique is much better for the oldest wines. To decant the wine, stand the bottle upright a few hours before tasting it. You can open it. Then you can let the wine benefit from a very light oxygenation through the neck of the bottle. Optionally, you can pour a tiny bit of this wine into a glass. This will let you taste the wine and increase the surface area for oxygenation. If you notice a significant deposit in the wine bottle, you can use a carafe to pour the wine into it gently, still limiting contact with oxygen. There are specific shapes of carafe for aerating or for decanting. In the case of decanting, you can use a carafe in which contact with oxygen is reduced and which has a stopper. If you wish to buy one, here is the link to a carafe and to a decanting carafe. In summary, you can aerate certain wines: especially if they are still young or if they show a significant tannic structure. For the oldest wines, avoid the carafe. Open them a few hours before tasting and let them oxygenate naturally.
To each wine its glass
Finally, last but not least, you now have to choose the most suitable wine glass. Choosing the right wine glass lets you reveal all the aromas of your bottle and fully enjoy this delicious nectar. There are major brands of wine glass, among which we can mention Riedel for example. I’m preparing a special feature for you with the biggest references in the field. I’ll send you this little buying guide directly to your inbox. Let’s come back to the glass you should choose. For red wine, it all depends on the region. On the Burgundy side, go instead for a round glass with a large opening. For Bordeaux, we recommend a glass with a narrower opening that will let you concentrate the aromas. For white wine, we advise a glass with a conical shape and a wider opening depending on the grape variety: rather wide for Chardonnay for example. Some brands have developed universal wine glasses to let you taste all wines. This can be useful if your budget is limited, if you are just starting out in your discovery of wine, or if you don’t have room to have so many glasses at home. Other brands go even further and offer dedicated glasses for each grape variety. Let’s not go that far today, you have already learned a lot. Finally, it is not for nothing that your wine glass has a stem. I won’t say more, but know that there is a technique to properly hold your wine glass. An article on this subject awaits you.
And there you have it, well done, you now know how to serve wine properly. We have once again seen that wine is not a drink like any other. Even before pouring it into your glass, you have to follow a very precise ritual. Learning about wine is crucial to finally being able to fully enjoy it. So I’ll see you in the next episode. In the meantime, to continue your wine-learning efforts, head to The Club Wine Makers Show. By signing up, you can in particular be notified of the next episodes and have all the bonuses associated with them. You can join the club and learn about wine simply. It’s free, it’s interesting and if you ever change your mind, you can unsubscribe whenever you like. So go and sign up to our club right after this episode.
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