Temperature of Wine

Imagine for a moment that it’s August long weekend. The humidity is 100% and you’re driving behind someone traveling 60 in an 80 zone. The air conditioning is not working. And you’re late for work.

Imagine the same stretch of highway, Thanksgiving weekend when the leaves have changed colours and you’re running late for dinner at the in-laws’. The temperature is mild and perfectly comfortable.

In which scenario would you be more prone to anxiety to the point of frustration and rage?

With this thought experiment, we can likely agree that physical temperature can impact the ways we react to a given situation.

Same thing with wine. The temperature at which wines are served can drastically affect their enjoyment. And this is most often apparent in the restaurant setting where red wines are often served far too warm.

There is simply no hope for a red wine that is too warm in a restaurant. By the time it has come down to a more appropriate temperature, it is too late. But if served too cold, it is much easier to be quickly warmed in the glass, and still be optimally enjoyed.

Temperature changes the mouth feel of wine. For example, if a young red wine has loads of tannins, when served at a cooler temperature, the tannins will seem less aggressive and the acidity will be heightened, making the wine seem fresher and more lively. Conversely, a red wine served from a bottle kept over the bar and served at a warmer temperature will seem heavy and not at all refreshing.

The old adage of serving red wine at room temperature couldn’t be further from justified. Try drinking one that is 20-24 degrees! Yet served at the proper cellar temperature of 10-12, and it is a world of difference.

With white wines the colder (to start) the better. Many white wines are lighter in body, higher in acid with more upfront primary fruit flavours and are in fact much more enjoyable served very cold. Think pinot grigio or sauvignon blanc. But the weightier whites can handle a little more warmth. And as they warm up in the glass, they begin to reveal their honest selves.

Because one thing that a cold wine does is hide some of itself. It is not yet warmed up and ready to express its full range of aromas and flavours. But with a little time in the glass, it will open up.

Just like us humans, after working outside in the middle of winter it is easier, and dare I say more enjoyable, to warm up rather than trying to cool down after working outside in the middle of the summer.
As the temperature begins to climb, this is the perfect time of year to transition from the big fuller body red wines into the light reds that PEC is most renewed for, in addition to whites and roses.

Start by keeping a few wines in the fridge to see how they open up during the course of your dinner. I suspect you’ll be pleasantly surprised.