When you find a great wine you enjoy, the last thing you want to do is improperly store or serve it. We’ve got the tips to help you get the perfect taste every time.
Serving Your Wine
White wines almost invariably taste dull and uninteresting served warm, and red wines have a disappointingly little scent or flavor served cold. To appreciate the best aromas and flavors of your wine, be sure to drink at the correct temperatures. Your refrigerator temperature is around 35 degrees F. We recommend white wine be opened and served after waiting 15 to 20 minutes after removing the bottle from the refrigerator. Red wine should be served at much warmer room temperatures generally around 60-65 degrees Fahrenheit, so pop it in the refrigerator 15 to 20 minutes before opening.
Storing Your Wine
Wine should be stored on its side in a cool, dark place where the temperature is constant all year round. Wide swings in temperature are not good for wine. A good storage area should be cool (between 53 degrees and 59 degrees F), with the humidity over 75%. It should be free from vibrations, which can travel through the wine (i.e., avoid heavy traffic or motors going on and off such as a refrigerator or washer/dryer). The area should be free from light, especially direct sunlight which is very harmful to wine, and free from chemical odors such as paints. Unfinished bottles of wine will keep only up to a week in the refrigerator until they start to oxidize. Be sure to follow the serving temperature guidelines to enjoy your wine to the fullest.
