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Wine and Serving Temperatures

When serving wine, it should be stored appropriately so that it can be fully enjoyed and the flavors and scents are at their peak. Here are some basic rules of thumb when serving wine. Now don't go running for your thermometer too quickly! Remember, this is a guide and should not be too strictly adhered to. However, keep in mind that maintaining wine at the general correct temperature will help preserve the overall wine tasting experience.

Sparkling wine, dessert wine, Reisling = 39-46 Degrees F
Champagne, top-quality sparkling & dessert, Gewurtzraminer, and rose = 46-52 Degrees F
Alsace, Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc, Grigio = 54-55 Degrees F
Red wines served room temperature (62-68 Degrees F)

Tasting Etiquette

When tasting wine, it goes without saying that you will use 3 out of your 5 sensory receptors: sight, scent and taste. And, if you use all 3 senses, then you will know everything there is to know about the wine you are drinking. The following will help you to identify wine by doing what you do best: using your human senses.

Place your glass against a neutral color background, preferably white.

Fill your glass to about one quarter (1/4) full.

Look at it. What color is it? Red or white? Clear or cloudy? Dark or light?

Holding the stem, twirl the glass around to release the wine's bouquet.

After you have released the bouquet (swirled), inhale. What do you smell? A Peppered or Smokey aroma? Berries? Plums? Cherries? Currant? Oak? Vanilla? Peaches? Melons? Whatever you smell, you should identify elements that will most certainly remind you of something that has nothing to do with wine.

Take a big sip, drawing air into the mouth as you do so. Swirl the wine in your mouth, from front to back. For wine tasting & food pairing, be sure to sample the food paired with the wine and sip the wine again. You should notice a considerable difference in the taste of the wine!

After you have tasted & finished your wine, if you are tasting different wines then it is important to cleanse the palate (your mouth taste receptors) in between tastings so that you can get a clean, fresh sampling of the wine every time. To cleanse the palate, simply eat or drink anything that is neutral flavor such as water, bread or a plain, unsalted cracker.

Learn more about this author, Michele Fox.
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