I recently had a debate with a few friends about how red and white wines should be served, room-temperature or chilled, so I looked it up.
The short answer, according to White House sommelier Daniel Shanks, is that both should be served chilled.
Whites, too, should be served chilled, not cold. Apparently the old practice of serving cold whites was just a way cover up their poor quality.
I guess it's time to make more room in the fridge.
Interesting! Did your research indicate whether both should be chilled to the same temperature? Or a slightly different temperate depending on the wine?
ReplyDeleteAs I remember my days working in restaurants I can say for sure that in general white wines should be served colder than red wines.
ReplyDeleteThe Wine Spectator suggests the following to give some more details:
When it comes to serving temperature, a wine should be just right. Too hot and the wine’s alcohol will be emphasized, leaving it flat and flabby. Too cold and the aromas and flavors will be muted and, for reds, the tannins may seem harsh and astringent. Too often, white wines are served straight out of a fridge while reds are opened at a toasty room temperature, neither of which are ideal. What’s “just right” for you is a matter of individual taste, but here are some general guidelines:
Light dry white wines, rosés, sparkling wines: Serve at 40° to 50° F to preserve their freshness and fruitiness. Think crisp Pinot Grigio and Champagne. For sparklers, chilling keeps bubbles fine rather than frothy. This is also a good range for white dessert wines; sweetness is accentuated at warmer temperatures, so chilling them preserves their balance without quashing their vibrant aromas.
Full-bodied white wines and light, fruity reds: Serve at 50° to 60° F to pick up more of the complexity and aromatics of a rich Chardonnay or to make a fruity Beaujolais more refreshing.
Full-bodied red wines and Ports: Serve at 60° to 65° F—cooler than most room temperatures and warmer than ideal cellaring temperatures—to make the tannins in powerful Cabernet or Syrah feel more supple and de-emphasize bitter components.
http://www.winespectator.com/webfeature/show/id/how-to-serve-wine-temperature
This is very interesting. Some people in china do put red wine in fridge and people kind of make fun of it. I guess it is time to revisit what is exactly the right thing to do.
ReplyDelete