The Corkscrew | What is the best temperature to serve wine at? And what if you get it wrong? An expert’s guide
Serve wine too warm and the alcohol vapour will overwhelm the aromas, too cold and the fruit will be undetectable
If you want to start a lively discussion among wine lovers, ask them what temperature their favourite tipple should be served at.
A few will insist that reds be served at room temperature. That may be fine in a temperate climate but, in Hong Kong, natural room temperature would be about 30 degrees Celsius for much of the year.
Most would recommend serving wines at about 13 to 15 degrees – because that’s the optimal temperature they are stored at in a winery, chateau or wine cellar.
Getting the temperature right is important; if wine is served too cold, the flavours will be muted, but too warm and the vapours – predominately alcohol – will be too strong, which will overwhelm the fruit aromas.
Champagnes and white wines are usually sipped at a cool temperature – about seven to nine degrees. Some people prefer them cooler than that, while others like them slightly warmer so they can detect more of the subtle aromas.
