Wine temperature – the best flavour can depend on it

The temperature of the wine is very important, as the temperature of the wine has a big influence on the experience. In fact, even the concepts are not entirely clear on this, for example, what is room temperature?

The meaning of room temperature

We have a special range of red, white and rosé wines, as well as dessert wines, and a wide variety of products within the main categories. Sweet, dry, special flavours from special regions – that’s what we offer to promote wine culture at home and abroad. And for the fullest taste experience, the ideal temperature for a particular wine is an important question.

Well, you often hear that room temperature is ideal for certain varieties, but this is not really accurate either. Generally speaking, room temperature means 20 degrees Celsius, but let’s face it, it’s usually warmer in our homes in both winter and summer. So don’t think that 23-24 degrees is the best temperature for a given wine.

In the world of wine, room temperature is actually much cooler than that, at 16-18 degrees. And speaking of temperatures, it can also be said that this range is generally ideal for full-bodied red wines.

If the wine is too cold, it can taste harsh, but be careful not to heat it up too quickly, as this can damage it. Softer red wines taste best at a slightly cooler temperature of 13 degrees Celsius.

Wine temperature is a key issue

In the world of wine, there are many categories, so there are really only general guidelines for grouping wines by colour.

For example, 10-13 degrees is ideal for fuller-bodied white wines, while 7-10 degrees is ideal for softer, lighter drinks. For sweet wines, it’s best to chill the drink to 6-8 degrees Celsius, while for sparkling wines 6-10 degrees is ideal.

In restaurants, it is common to see wine bottles in ice buckets to keep special drinks cold. Care should be taken not to overcool them either, as this can mask the flavours of the wines.

Why is this important?

The serving temperature is often overlooked by many, but it is essential to release the full flavour and aromas of the wine. Knowing that red wines should be opened half an hour before serving, while white wines are best served chilled and kept cold, can be a great help.

However, you don’t need to remember these temperature ranges, as we always indicate on our product data sheets the temperature at which the drink should be consumed. Here, for example, is this 2013 6-puttonyos Tokaji Aszú, which we recommend with mature cheeses, foie gras and almond cakes, and which is ideally served at a temperature of between 10 and 12 degrees Celsius.

The little secrets of serving

To achieve an even more perfect experience, there are a couple of other things to keep in mind, one is to always pour the wine towards the centre of the glass, with the exception of sparkling wines, which are poured on the side to preserve the bubbles, and of course the shape of the wine glass matters a lot.

Whether it’s white, red or rosé, it’s always worth striving for quality, and once you have the right bottle of wine, you need to make sure it’s stored properly. A quality experience also requires quality wines, and that’s where we can help you with our premium range of wines.