Serving red wine is an art that is relatively easy to master - all you have to do is learn a few basic facts about this wonderful drink and you will be on your way to mastering the proper wine serving methods.
Optimal Serving Red Wine Temperature
You've probably been told that "room temperature" is the optimal serving temperature for reds. This is a common misconception - what "room temperature" refers to is the temperature of storage cellars, which are a few degrees colder than normal weather. The optimal serving red wine temperature is somewhere between 60 and 65 degrees F (15-18 degrees C). Serving red wine at a higher temperature than 60 to 65 degrees F will cause the alcohol to rear its ugly head and add an undesirable bite to the taste. The tannins will rise as the fruity notes fall, throwing the flavor completely out of balance. Serving reds too cold, and you won't be able to get the full vibrancy of the fruit's flavors. A handy tip is to chill the bottle in a refrigerator for 30-60 minutes, or an ice water bucket for roughly 10-15 minutes prior to serving. This should be enough time to bring the vino to its optimum drinking temperature.
Take note that lighter reds, like Beaujolais, can be served at cooler temperatures, but not lower than 50 degrees F (10 degrees C).
Aeration is an Important Aspect of Serving Red Wine
Some people prefer to let their red wines sit for an hour or so after opening the bottle. This is meant to aerate the wine and bring out its full flavor. However wine bottles normally have narrow mouths, which means there is not much room for air to circulate into the bottle. So when serving red wine, rather than letting the wine sit in the bottle, pour it directly into a glass and allow it to aerate there. Swirling the wine in your glass for a few minutes provides ample aeration, and is one proper method for serving. Since the wine will warm up during aeration, it is essential to properly chill the bottle to achieve the optimal serving red wine temperature.
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UB40 - Red Red Wine (2002 Digital Remaster)
