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Wine Temperature:
What temperature to serve at?

The short answer

As a rule of thumb: sparkling wine and rosé 6–8 °C (43–46 °F), light white wines 8–10 °C (46–50 °F), full-bodied whites 10–12 °C (50–54 °F), light reds 12–14 °C (54–57 °F), and full-bodied reds 16–18 °C (61–64 °F). Too cold and a wine seems closed, too warm and it turns clumsy and alcoholic. A red that's been sitting at room temperature is better off spending 20 minutes in the fridge.

The chart at a glance

Wine typeTemperature
Sparkling wine (Sekt, Champagne, Prosecco)6–8 °C (43–46 °F)
Rosé6–8 °C (43–46 °F)
Light white wine (Riesling, Silvaner)8–10 °C (46–50 °F)
Full-bodied white wine (Chardonnay, Pinot Gris)10–12 °C (50–54 °F)
Light red wine (Pinot Noir, Beaujolais)12–14 °C (54–57 °F)
Full-bodied red wine (Bordeaux, Barolo, Syrah)16–18 °C (61–64 °F)

Why temperature makes such a difference

Temperature controls which aromas a wine shows. Too cold numbs the fruit and makes a wine seem thin and closed. Too warm pushes the alcohol forward, and the wine feels broad and clumsy. In the right window, though, a wine comes into balance. Fruit, acidity, and structure line up.

Two practical rules

  • Room temperature is a misunderstanding. The term comes from an era when rooms were 16–18 °C (61–64 °F). Today a red at 22 °C (72 °F) is too warm. Twenty minutes in the fridge helps.
  • Better a touch too cool. In the glass, wine warms up a degree or two on its own. Poured too cold is easier to rescue than poured too warm.

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