Definition: Serving and tasting temperature

Serving wine requires perfect temperature control, as each type of wine is best served at its optimal temperature. You would not accept lukewarm water to quench your thirst. Nor should you accept wine, however good it may be, that has been ruined by being served at the wrong temperature. The serving temperature of wine, one of the last links in the chain, is more than important, it is essential.

It should be noted that wines to be served chilled are generally drunk too cold (the bouquet is paralysed – harsh and short – the wine remains mute, without fragrance) and wines to be served at room temperature are often too warm (the wine becomes heavy, thick, rich in alcohol, unrefreshing and unbalanced). This is how wines lose much of their appeal. The term "chambrer" (to serve at room temperature) comes from a time before central heating existed. Houses were poorly heated and there were few fireplaces. The temperature in dining rooms rarely exceeded 17 to 18°C. Red wines were therefore consumed at room temperature. Now that the thermometer reads 20 to 24°C in winter in most of our flats, it would be heresy to serve wines at room temperature.

It is also very important not to confuse serving temperature with tasting temperature. Take Beaujolais, for example. This wine should be drunk at between 9 and 11°C. It is therefore essential to bring it into the dining room at a lower temperature, i.e. 2 to 4°C less, depending on the season, the basic temperature of the cellar and the temperature of the dining room.

It should also be borne in mind that, in a busy room, the temperature can quickly become excessive and that glasses and carafes will also reach this same high temperature. In a room at 25°C, a chilled wine will gain 8°C in an hour. It is therefore important to ensure that the wine is kept at the correct serving temperature throughout the meal. Let's suppose we are serving a wine that should be consumed, in our example, at 9°C in glasses that are close to 24°C. You can easily imagine that the consumption temperature will reach 14 to 15°C more quickly than the desired 9°C.