Serving Guide
Serve it right.
Most wine is served too warm (reds) or too cold (whites). Pick your wine below — or use the quick bands — and get the temperature, the glass, and the decanting call.
The quick bands
43–46°F 6–8°C
Sparkling
Ice-water bucket for 20 minutes beats hours in the fridge. Tulip glass over flute.
45–50°F 7–10°C
Crisp whites, rosé & sweet wines
Straight from the fridge is fine. If it tastes muted, let it warm five minutes.
50–55°F 10–13°C
Full & oaked whites
Fridge, then out 20 minutes before pouring. Over-chilling hides everything you paid for.
55–60°F 13–15°C
Light reds
45 minutes in the fridge. A lightly chilled Pinot or Gamay is a revelation in summer.
58–62°F 14–17°C
Medium reds
Slightly cooler than your room. 30 fridge-minutes if the kitchen runs warm.
62–65°F 16–18°C
Full-bodied reds
“Room temperature” meant a drafty cellar, not a modern kitchen. 15 fridge-minutes helps.
One honest rule of thumb: if you can't measure, err colder — a bottle warms up in the glass in minutes, but you can't easily cool it back down.