Serving temperatures for wine

More wine is ruined by being too warm than too cold. A wine that is served too cold is easily warmed, but a wine served too warm can be difficult to chill. Therefore, when in doubt, serve it colder than you might think necessary. A wine that is too warm tastes alcoholic and is not a pleasure to drink. In general, white wines are served cooler than red wines.

These serving temperatures should be used as guidelines.

65°F / 18°C would be the equivalent of leaving the wine out at room temperature for about 4 hours.

39°F / 4°C can be achieved by leaving the bottle in the refrigerator for about 4 hours.

65°F / 18°C
Australian Shiraz, California Cabernet Sauvignon, Rhône Wines, Vintage Port

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63° / 17°C
Bordeaux, Châeauneuf-du-Pape, Ribera delDuero, South African Pinotage and Catalonian, Chilean, and Australian Cabernet

61°F / 16°C
Southern French Reds, southern Italian reds, Rioja, Toro, Australian and California Pinot Noir, Tawny and Ruby Ports

50°F / 15°C
Côte Chalonnaise, Douro red table wines, young Zinfandel, Oregon Pinot Noir, New Zealand Cabernet and Pinot Noir, Oloroso and Cream sherries, Bual and malmsey Maderias

57°F / 14°C
Chinon, Bourgueil, northern Italian and Washington State Cabernet Sauvignon, Valpolicella, young Chianti

54° – 55°F / 12 – 13°C
Young Beaujolais, red Sancerre, Bardolino, Lago di Caldaro, young Sanish and Portuguese reds, vin de pays

50°F / 10°C
California and Australian Chardonnay, Sauternes, top white Côte d'Or Burgundy, sweet German Wines, Rhine and Mosel Kabinett and Spätlese, Tokay, Australian liqueur Muscat, Italian oaked Chardonnay, oaked white Rioja, Fino and Amontillado Sherries, sercial Maderia, white Port

48°F / 9°C
Good white Pessac-Léognan and Graves, north-eastern Italian whites, Washington State Chardonnay, Chilean Chardonnay, Australian Semillon, New Zealand Chardonnay

46°F / 8°C
Alsace, Chablis, Côte Chalonnaise and mâconnais whites, dry German wines, Franken wines, Austrian Riesling, English wines, Australian Reisling, Cabernet and grenache rosé

45°F / 7°C
Good Champagne and Sparkling wine, Sancere, new York State, Chilean and New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc

43°F / 6°C
White Bordeaux, Muscadet, Anjou, other Sauvignons, Asti, unoaked white Roja

41°F / 5°C
Qba German wines, Soave, young Spanish and Portuguese whites, Vinho Verde, Swiss Chasselas, Austrian Grüner Veltliner, cheap rosé

36° – 39°F / 2 – 4°C
Cheap sparkling wines