A lot of you, I’m sure, already chill lighter reds but I wonder how many of you would bring down the temperature of a medium to full-bodied one?
If you look at the back label of a wine such as Ramon Lopez Murillo Rioja Reserva 2005 (13.5% alcohol by volume), you’ll spot that the recommended serving temperature is 16°C to 18°C. That’s more like cellar temperature than that of a summer’s day or a heated house.
As a general rule, serving reds too warm accentuates the alcohol, making them taste unstructured and soupy. Whites, on the other hand, are often served fridge cold (about 4ªC) when they should be more like 8°C to 10°C and even a shade warmer for a rich, complex white such as a burgundy or the deliciously peachy 2010 Tormentoso Chenin Blanc Reserve from South Africa’s Man Vintners (13.5% abv).
The same maker’s 2010 Pinotage (14% ABV) is first rate, too, not at all rubbery, as pinotage can be at that price. It would also benefit from being served at about 15°C to 16°C.
Assuming you don’t have the inclination or equipment to take the temperature of your bottles, try to leave reds and richer whites in a cool place, or give them 30 to 40 minutes in the fridge before serving. Even fresh, unoaked whites and rosés don’t need more than an hour to an hour and a half, depending on the efficiency of your fridge and how full it is. Sparkling and sweet wines need only about half an hour longer.
With natural wines, which are often made with little or no sulphur, temperature becomes important for stability. Some producers specify that wine should be transported and kept under 14°C, but few shops or distributors, I suspect, achieve that. Certainly, a fragrant, brambly cabernet franc such as Olivier Cousin’s biodynamic Anjou Pur Breton (13% abv) benefits from being served cool. —