Hot and cold

Finding a temp solution for wine

by Thor Iverson

If your wine is sick, grab your thermometer. Chances are, you'll find that it's either experiencing the chills or running a slight fever. Wine is almost never served at the proper temperature, and this contributes to almost as much bad-tasting wine as bad wine itself.

What's wrong with wine that's too hot or too cold? Plenty. A wine that's too cold is virtually tasteless: complexity and nuance are lost, and acid (in combination with oak and tannin, in wines that have them) dominates. Too hot, and the primary tastes will be alcohol and some flabby, bland fruit.

The problem here is a bit of wine wisdom that has been poorly understood over the years: "serve white wine cold, and red wine at room temperature." This is good advice, but only if one considers the source: the generally cooler homes and cellars of Europe. "Room temperature" does not mean the 70 degrees Fahrenheit (or higher) to which most American houses are warmed; it means about 62 to 65 degrees. Likewise, "chilled" does not mean frozen, but just a few degrees colder than room temperature (58 to 62 degrees).

Don't let this high degree of precision (pardon the pun) make you paranoid -- the temperature thing is actually pretty easy to master (see "The Third Degree," below right). Bottle thermometers and thermo-sensitive wine sleeves -- the kind that change color when wrapped around a wine bottle -- are nice wine-geek toys, but unnecessary. Your hand is the only thermometer you need.

The third degree Big, bold reds (Bordeaux, cabernet sauvignon, shiraz, etc.) should be served just under room temperature (about 65 degrees), which can usually be achieved by keeping the bottle in a cool room for an hour or so. Lighter reds, such as Burgundy, Beaujolais, and Valpolicella, should be chilled just enough to refresh on a hot summer day (62 degrees or so), which means 30 minutes in the fridge. Big whites (chardonnay, white Burgundy, viognier, sémillon) should be served just under that, so give them another 15 minutes of fridge time. Lighter whites (riesling, pinot gris, sauvignon blanc) should drop down to about 58 degrees, and can easily get there with 10 minutes of freezer time. Most sparkling wines should be chilled as much as possible (30 minutes in the freezer, and then right into an ice bucket), but top-quality and vintage Champagne should be in the upper 50s (20 minutes in the freezer, then let it sit for 10). Dessert wines should be treated like dry wines: warmer if big and red (Port), cooler if light and white (muscat), cold if sparkling (Moscato d'Asti). On the other hand, I've had Port producers tell me that all Port should be chilled, so tastes vary.

Restaurants are the biggest temperature offenders, because they regularly serve glasses of white winesicle followed by piping-hot red wine. If any wine arrives at your table too warm, don't hesitate to ask for an ice bucket. Be as precise as possible when telling your waiter how much colder you want the wine ("Could you chill this wine down about three degrees?" is the best way to ask). If the waiter looks confused, just ask for the bucket and take matters into your own hands. If the wine arrives too cold, on the other hand, your options are more limited. Cupping your hands around the bowl of the glass works best, and pouring small amounts (which are easily warmed by this method) also helps. A warning: some restaurants actually microwave wines to heat them up, though they'll never admit that they do it. A tiny amount of irradiation probably won't hurt sturdy, inexpensive wines, but it should never be attempted with older or more-delicate wines.

At home, all wine lovers should have a bucket for chilling whites and sparkling wines (crystal is not necessary; any old pail will do), and one of those ceramic or terra-cotta cylinders for keeping bottles insulated at the table. Chemical ice packs, the kind you'd put on a swollen knee, can be wrapped around the bottle with a rubber band for quicker cooling. To warm a wine, set it next to the stove as you cook or on a sunny windowsill (too long in either place will cause damage, however).

A few temperature-critical wine recommendations:

1997 Tiefenbrunner Pinot Grigio Alto Adige ($9.99). A bargain white that's perfect for the summer picnic season. Lime rind and grapefruit with a mineral tang; sharply acidic but structured enough for shellfish and salads with acidic sauces and dressings. Serve well-chilled.

1997 Makor Syrah Rosé "la risa de rosa" Santa Barbara ($12.99). Quite possibly the best rosé I've had this year. A unique sumac (not poison sumac, of course), raspberry, and charred-duck flavor that loses a lot in the description, but makes you want to guzzle and savor at the same time. Great intensity of flavor. Pizza? Pasta with red sauce? Grilled chicken? This wine goes with everything but ice cream. Also needs chilling, though it can handle a bit of warmth.

1997 Erik Banti Rosso Toscano "Carato" ($9.99). An early arrival from the massively fruity '97 vintage in Italy. Anise, dark berries, wonderfully overripe with a little tannin and a good deal of acidity. This would work well with roasted Italian veggies (tomatoes, eggplant, peppers), sipped with a little Parmigiano Reggiano, or quaffed with steak. A few years in the cellar wouldn't hurt, either. Low room temperature for this one.

NV Hardy's Sparkling Shiraz ($18.99). Overwhelming plum, blueberry, cassis, and prune flavors with a spicy licorice bite, coupled with a nice earthy character. Not for the faint of heart, but if you like grilled meats with spicy salsas and marinades, this out-of-control Aussie sparkling red is for you. Unlike most bubblies, this should be served only slightly chilled.

Thor Iverson can be reached at wine[a]phx.com.