Serving Temperature for Wine | Rosé, Champagne, Red & White – The Fulham Wine Company

The Right Temperature To Serve Wine - Champagne, Sparkling, Red, White & Rosé

"It is impossible to over-estimate the effect of serving temperatures on how a wine will taste."

Jancis Robinson

White & Rosé Wine Temperature

Ideal Serving Temperature: 8-13°C

Lighter white wines (Pinot Grigio,Sauvignon Blanc) are served chilled, between 7-10 ̊ C.White wines with more body, or oak, (Chardonnay, Pouilly Fuissé) should be served at a warmer temperature of 10-13 ̊ C (50 – 55 ̊ F) – just lightly chilled.Rosé wines should be served between 10-13 ̊ C.

Champagne & Sparkling Wines Temperature

Ideal Serving Temperature: 8-10°C

Most fridges run at around 5-7ºC but a champagne served straight away at that temperature will not be showing many of its most subtle aromas and flavours. Below that temperature the wine is too cold making aromas harder to detect.

If the champagne gets warmer, at above 10°C the wines appear "heavier" and less bright however more complex champagne such as Dom Pérignon or Bollinger La Grande Année however, show best a little warmer between 10 and 12ºC as the extra couple of degrees showcase their extra aroma and flavour nuances.

NB: Never serve it in pre-chilled glasses (or you will lose some of the sparkle) and don’t leave it too long in the ice bucket!

Red Wine Temperature

Ideal Serving Temperature: 12-18°C

Lighter red wines (Beaujoulais, Pinot Noir) should be served slightly chilled, at around 12-13 °C.

Medium & fuller bodied red wines (Cabernet SauvignonMalbec) should be served at 15-18 °C.

In the height of Summer (or anytime the temperature is 18 °C of above) you need to lightly chill your red wine because when the serving temperature rises above 20 °C, an increasing proportion of compounds are literally boiled off.

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