Ice-cold to room temperature – how cold should the wine be?
Now that it is slowly getting warmer again, the discussion is reviving about how warm or cold a wine should be to fully develop its aroma. The answer could easily come from a lawyer, because it is:
It depends.
What?
To the wine.
On the grape.
To the season.
On the grape.
To the season.
But let’s be specific:
white & rosé wines
White and rosé wines are generally treated the same. In winter we drink white wines at around ten degrees, in summer at seven degrees. For some Burgundy wines we go a little higher, because they develop their aroma best when they are chilled to eight degrees.
We have two climate-controlled refrigerators in our winery, which regulate the temperature down to the exact degree. The Palatinate probably has the highest density of climate-controlled refrigerators, because basic foodstuffs must be treated correctly. But we also have a tip for all people who are not allowed to call the Palatinate their home: Don't put a fever thermometer in the wine, it will spoil your appetite. Instead, put the thermometer in the refrigerator NEXT to the wine, or better still, use an infrared measuring device or - for the passionate cooks among you - the sauce temperature measuring device.
red wine
Everyone has probably heard that red wine should be drunk "at room temperature." However, this recommendation dates back to the days before central heating was invented. So we're not talking about a balmy 24 degrees (unless it's mulled wine, which is obviously much hotter). Our recommendation is therefore that red wine should be around 15 degrees cold in winter (yes, it was cold in the house back then!). In summer, we cool it to 12 degrees, because it warms up relatively quickly in the glass.
When we did our internship at a winery in South Africa and the thermometer showed a pleasant 35 degrees in the shade, we relaxed and added ice cubes. (Did someone just faint?) Yes, it really is like that. Because it's better to have a slightly diluted wine than a warm broth.
sparkling wine & secco
Sparkling wine and secco are drunk a little colder than white wine. It is around six degrees in both summer and winter. Sparkling cold, it is wonderfully refreshing and invigorating.
quality feature temperature resistance
The taste of the wine changes with the temperature. This is actually a decisive quality feature. If the wine is a little warmer than it should be, but still develops its aroma and tastes good, that is a sign of real class.
And ice wine?
There is still the question of ice wine. It is not frozen and sucked in cubes, even if the name suggests this. Its name refers to the harvest time : it has to hang frozen on the vine at the time of harvest, and for quite some time: several hours at minus seven degrees, to be precise. That is the ice wine law (of course there are laws for every wine. Where would we be if everyone could simply harvest their wine at any temperature). Because only when the water in the grape is frozen at harvest time does the right aroma and sweetness develop. Ice wine is therefore a sweet dessert wine of the highest quality. With climate change, it is becoming increasingly rare. 2020 was the first year in which no ice wine could be harvested in the whole of Germany because it was too warm.
The last time an ice wine was pressed at the Graf von Weyher winery was in 1998. We only have one or two bottles here that are no longer for sale. The high risk (the grapes can go moldy on the vine if it is too humid), the high effort (picking wine at minus seven degrees, usually in the middle of the night!) and the correspondingly high price make this wine an economic risk. However, we still have a sweet offer for all lovers of dessert wine: our Beerenauslese (which does not have to be picked in frost) is a noble and full-bodied wine. The precious bottles (0.5l) are very limited (339 bottles) and cost 39.00 euros.
Speaking of frost: when temperatures drop below ten degrees, the cells cannot function and hibernation begins. The magic point for spring awakening is only reached again at 20 degrees. At this moment, the Riesling begins to bud, even if it gets cooler again straight away. The southern Merlot, on the other hand, only comes out of hibernation at 22 degrees.
Photo: Auszweigs 2024 - the birth of the new vintage!
This year, February was warmer than any month ever recorded before. Our vineyards are practically doing somersaults and are already bursting with life. As the risk of frost still exists until mid-May, we are now starting to shiver again (not from the cold, but from fear). Because a big frost can destroy the entire harvest. To calm down, we drink a well-chilled glass of wine. Keep your fingers crossed for us!
Your well-chilled counts
wer auch immer diese zauberhaften mails schreibt…ich ziehe den hut und freue mich jedes mal riesig sie zu lesen!
danke für den humor und die infos und…daumen sind gedrückt, klar mit der einen hand… in der anderen ein feines glas blanc de noir😉👌👍
freundliche grüsse aus der schweiz, nicht der pfalz aber auch schön
therese k.
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