You don’t need to be an expert to enjoy wine, but serving it at the right temperature helps. Too cold and the flavours hide. Too warm and the wine can feel heavy. Get the temperature right and everything falls into place – aroma, balance and flavour. Let us help you with some tips on how to serve wine to bring out it’s best.
Quick tips to serve wine at the ideal temperature
- 1
Take your favourite white or Rosé out of the fridge at least 15 minutes before serving.
- 2
Store your wine in a cool dark place, not on top of the fridge which is likely to be warmer than many other places in your home.
- 3
Keep wine out of the sun when entertaining outside.
Wine serving temperature guide by varietal
What temperature is best for Rosé & why
Rosé on a sunny day? Yes please! Adam suggests serving Rosé chilled, but not straight out of the fridge. Give it at least 10-15 minutes to come closer to room temperature so you can enjoy its aroma, flavour and texture. It’s amazing the difference 10-15 minutes makes! Ideal serving temperature for Rosé is 10-12C.
The time when you can serve Rosé at a lower temperature is when it’s used in a Spritzer. With ice in the cocktail, the serving temperature will drop to 0C. Here are some Rosé Spritz recipes to enjoy yourself or make for your next party.
What temperature is best for Viognier & why
According to Adam, Viognier is like Chardonnay, but more exotic. Like Chardonnay, Viognier is best served at just below room temperature (11-13C). If it’s too cold, the texture, flavour, acid balance and aromas will be masked. If room temperature in your neck of the woods is more than 15C, pop your Viognier in the fridge to chill it slightly, but make sure to get it out of the fridge at least 30 minutes before you plan on serving it.
Like a good Brie or Camembert cheese, straight out of the fridge aromatic whites like Viognier are palatable, but not delicious. If you have patience and time to let it come to room temperature you’ll be rewarded with flavour and aroma.
Try it for yourself. Pop a bottle of SubRosa Viognier in the fridge and pour a glass. Take a sip immediately after it comes out of the fridge and then try it again after 10-15 minutes, and again after about 30 minutes. What do you think?
What temperature is best for Nebbiolo & why
Nebbiolo, like Pinot Noir, should be served at room temperature which is widely considered to be about 14-16C.
What temperature is best for Shiraz and Cabernet & why
Shiraz and Cabernet thrive at a slightly warmer temperature between 17-19C. On summer days when you are serving Shiraz, don’t let it get too hot or it will lose its complexity for which SubRosa is known.
What temperature is best for Mourvèdre & why
Like Shiraz & Cabernet, Mourvèdre is best when served at a slightly warmer temperature, to account for its higher tannic characteristics. We recommend between 17-19C as the ideal target. At this temperature, the beautiful black fruit aromas (blackcurrant and blackberry) come to the fore and the pepper and herbaceous flavours express themselves.
To reach this temperature, take the bottle from your cellar or wine fridge and leave it on the table for about an hour before serving. Then at serving time, uncork the bottle or decant 30 minutes prior. This will give it sufficient time to open up, let off some of the farmyard characteristics that can appear on the nose, and let the velvety ripe red fruits, specifically plum and blackberry, shine through.
If the wine is too cool, wrap your hands around your wine glass for a minute or so. Swirl the wine in your glass to release the aromatics and help the warming process. This will warm your wine to the correct temperature in only a few minutes.
A final note about wine serving temperatures…
Serving wine doesn’t need to be complicated. A few small temperature tweaks can make a big difference to how a wine tastes. Chill it a little, let it warm when needed, and trust your palate. When the temperature is right, the wine does the rest.
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