Wine Drinking Temperatures

Ideal temperatures for drinking wine--red

We all know to drink red and white wine at different temperatures, but there can even be subtle differences between the different styles of wines.

Things like whether the wine has seen any time in oak, how much acidity it as and how much sweetness it has can all affect the ideal temperature.

As a simple rule, the more acidity the wine has, the cooler it should be served. So lighter whites and reds are served cooler than richer whites and reds. And sparkling wines are cooler than any of them!

The inverse applies as well, in regards to sweetness. The richer, rounder and sweeter a wine is, the warmer you can serve it. So ports and fortified wine are served room temperature or just above, then full bodied reds, then dessert wines, then richer whites and so on, working down to light tangy whites, which you'd serve straight from the fridge.

Obviously we're only looking at a few degrees difference here, so don't be too concerned about getting them exact! Use your palate and your judgement to find what works best for you.

About the Author

Banjo Harris Plane is the three-time winner Sommelier of the Year Australia and a certified advanced Sommelier through the Court of Master Sommeliers. He first cut his teeth in the wine industry working as a sommelier in Australia's best restaurants, before starting multiple businesses in the space of a few years... these included two restaurants, a wine import business and co-founding Good Pair Days!