Wine temperature
 

Hello people, I wish to know what is the recommended temperature for red
wines.

I mail order mine, and pay around 6 English pounds per bottle.

The orders comprise of all kinds (mostly New World), although I cannot
remember a claret, or anything 'dry'.

Having read a couple of websites I was surprised that they recommended a
much lower temperature than I think I have been using.

I have no way of measuring, but I hold the bottle to my cheek and when it
does not feel cool, this seems to work.
Usually this means warming by immersion in warm water or for emergency we
have one of those warmer-jackets that turns white when warming up.

I have noticed that temperature can affect the taste, and also most of it
seems to taste the better for being uncorked and finished the next day. (I
never usually finish a full bottle at one sitting, except when entertaining
of course)

I don't drink much white wine, but I do agree with some advice that a modern
fridge can cool it far too low.

I wonder if the temperatures recommended for red wines for different
countries,differs because their ambient temperatures differ?

My home is around 65 degrees F. I store wine in much lower temperatures
probably never much more than 50F, in summer, and currently around 45F.but
due to space and organization, it may lie at room temperature for up to a
month.

Your advice would be apreciated.

p.s. Is there anything in the advice I had that shaking an opened bottle
oxidises the wine and brings it to a state quickly where "breathing" would
have done it slower?
--
Streuth

On Mon, 07 Mar 2005 16:46:08 GMT, "Streuth Cor Blimey" >
wrote:

>Hello people, I wish to know what is the recommended temperature for red
>wines.
>
>Having read a couple of websites I was surprised that they recommended a
>much lower temperature than I think I have been using.
>
>I have no way of measuring, but I hold the bottle to my cheek and when it
>does not feel cool, this seems to work. Usually this means warming by immersion in warm water or for emergency we
>have one of those warmer-jackets that turns white when warming up.

You will get a lot of advice here shortly, I'm sure. Opinions will
differ, but don't get wrapped around the axle too tightly regarding
the "perfect" temperature.

The cliche rule is "cellar temperature" which usually means 50-55
degrees F. That is cooler than "room temperature" for most folks, but
not much and during the time that a bottle is setting open during a
meal or being enjoyed with conversation, the bottle will quickly reach
ambient.

Preference differ, but I've found room temperature to be as good a
standard as any for my relatively unsophisticated palate. The only
exception might be a sunny summer afternoon with temps in the high
'80s or more. Then a bit of cooling would help to avoid an unpleasant
drinking experience.
>
>I have noticed that temperature can affect the taste, and also most of it
>seems to taste the better for being uncorked and finished the next day. (I
>never usually finish a full bottle at one sitting, except when entertaining
>of course)

What you are experiencing here is apparently young wines that are
benefitting from oxidation or aeration after opening. The same thing
will happen with those wines held in the cellar for a while.

You might find the reverse if you pulled a cork on a twenty year old
bottle and then let it set overnight. Often these wines will
deteriorate quite quickly after opening and exposure to the air.
>
>I wonder if the temperatures recommended for red wines for different
>countries,differs because their ambient temperatures differ?
>
>My home is around 65 degrees F. I store wine in much lower temperatures
>probably never much more than 50F, in summer, and currently around 45F.but
>due to space and organization, it may lie at room temperature for up to a
>month.

Your 45 F cellar is a bit too cool for drinking by my taste. Bringing
a bottle to room temp for a couple of hours, days, or up to a month
won't hurt it.

I'm not too enamoured of your electric heating cozy. I'd rather uncork
and let the wine sit in the glass for fifteen minutes than subject it
to artificial warming. (That being said, I've heard of folks that pop
a bottle in the microwave for a few seconds to raise the temp
slightly.)
>
>Your advice would be apreciated.
>
>p.s. Is there anything in the advice I had that shaking an opened bottle
>oxidises the wine and brings it to a state quickly where "breathing" would
>have done it slower?

NO!!! Pour and swirl to aerate. Decant if you wish, but don't shake
like a James Bond martini!



Ed Rasimus
Fighter Pilot (USAF-Ret)
"When Thunder Rolled"
www.thunderchief.org
www.thundertales.blogspot.com

In ,
Ed Rasimus > typed:

> On Mon, 07 Mar 2005 16:46:08 GMT, "Streuth Cor Blimey"
> >
> wrote:
>
>> Hello people, I wish to know what is the recommended
>> temperature for
>> red
>> wines.
>>
>> Having read a couple of websites I was surprised that they
>> recommended a
>> much lower temperature than I think I have been using.
>>
>> I have no way of measuring, but I hold the bottle to my cheek
>> and
>> when it
>> does not feel cool, this seems to work. Usually this means
>> warming
>> by immersion in warm water or for emergency we have one of
>> those
>> warmer-jackets that turns white when warming up.
>
> You will get a lot of advice here shortly, I'm sure. Opinions
> will
> differ, but don't get wrapped around the axle too tightly
> regarding
> the "perfect" temperature.
>
> The cliche rule is "cellar temperature" which usually means
> 50-55
> degrees F. That is cooler than "room temperature" for most
> folks, but
> not much and during the time that a bottle is setting open
> during a
> meal or being enjoyed with conversation, the bottle will
> quickly reach
> ambient.
>
> Preference differ, but I've found room temperature to be as
> good a
> standard as any for my relatively unsophisticated palate. The
> only
> exception might be a sunny summer afternoon with temps in the
> high
> '80s or more. Then a bit of cooling would help to avoid an
> unpleasant
> drinking experience.


Over and above the good advice above, Streuth Cor Blimey should
note the following two points:

1. Not all red wines are best at the same temperature. Lighter
reds (for example, Beaujolais) are often better at lower
temperatures than heavier ones.

2. It really doesn't matter what the "recommended temperature"
is. You should drink it at the temperature *you* prefer it at.
Recommendations should be nothing more than a starting place for
your experimentation. You might want to do something like pour
half a bottle into a clean bottle, then warm up (or cool down)
one of your bottles and compare them to see which *you* prefer.

--
Ken Blake
Please reply to the newsgroup

"Ken Blake" > skrev i melding
...
..
>
> 2. It really doesn't matter what the "recommended temperature" is. You
> should drink it at the temperature *you* prefer it at.
In a way true. But, note that wines that are served too warm lose a lot of
their taste characteristics. Inexperienced tasters therefore may find a
warm wine less obtrusive and so easier to drink. I feel that you should
train your palate to accept red wines at 60-65degrees Fahrenheit - do as
suggested: explore various temperatures at the same time.
I feel quite sure that as time passes by, you'll find that the age-old
recommendations have a sound basis.
Anders

In ,
Anders Tørneskog > typed:

> "Ken Blake" > skrev i melding
> ...
> .
>>
>> 2. It really doesn't matter what the "recommended temperature"
>> is.
>> You should drink it at the temperature *you* prefer it at.
> In a way true. But, note that wines that are served too warm
> lose a
> lot of their taste characteristics. Inexperienced tasters
> therefore
> may find a warm wine less obtrusive and so easier to drink. I
> feel
> that you should train your palate to accept red wines at
> 60-65degrees
> Fahrenheit - do as suggested: explore various temperatures at
> the
> same time. I feel quite sure that as time passes by, you'll
> find that the age-old
> recommendations have a sound basis.


Yes, I agree. But nobody should do it just because others like it
that way. The only person you have to please is yourself.

--
Ken Blake
Please reply to the newsgroup