What are the ideal temperatures for wines?

Poor temperature can bias the tasting, the sense of alcohol will be higher when the temperature increases and in the opposite case the intensity of the bouquet will decrease.

In general, we recommend to taste wines at the following temperatures :

• 16 to 18°C for oak-aged reds,
• 15 to 17°C for un-oaked reds,
• 10 to 12°C for whites and rosés,
• 8 to 10°C for sweet whites

The room temperature also needs to be considered. For example, a wine tasted at 11°C will seem too cold in a really hot climate. It would be better in that case to drink it at 13 or 14°C.

On a practical basis, the white wines should be kept in the fridge before the meal and taken out around 15 to 30 minutes before serving. For the red, they should be stored in a cool room (2°C less than the room temperature) until the moment of serving.