Temperatures
8-10 degrees:
For champers and light dry white that is already cool, put it in the top rack just under the freezer compartment for an hour.
10-12 degrees:
For fuller dry and medium whites, this is a normal fridge temperature if the wine is stored in the door shelf. Needs to have been in there 2-3 hours.
12-14 degrees:
For a light red, put a wine which is at room temperature in the vegetable compartment of your fridge for an hour or so.
16-18 degrees:
For most reds, this is room temperature. Actually, I put all my reds in the veggie compartment for an hour or so before drinking. As a general rule it is better to serve a wine too cool and let it warm up in the glass.
How to serve white wines correctly?
In general, aperitif wines should be served cooler than those accompanying a meal. Light and lively whites are good at 6-8 °C whilst rounder wines such as Burgundy need to be a 2-3 degrees warmer. Dessert whites should between 6-10 °C with younger ones at the cooler end of the spectrum. Champagne is best between 6-8 °C. Try to avoid immersion in the freezer for emergencies! An ice bucket is best, with salt in if you are in a real rush!
What is the correct temperature for serving red wines?
Young, fruity and light reds such as Beaujolais should be served at between 11 and 12şC . Burgundys are generally best at 15-16 °C whilst the often more tannic Bordeaux and older wines should be 1-2 °C warmer. As a rule of thumb, I think it is better to serve wines slightly on the cool side and let them warm up in the glass, if necessary.
How to serve rosé?
Be careful with rosé ! It should be chilled, but not too much, otherwise the fruitiness will be lost. The ideal serving temperature is 10 to 13 degrees. Serving your rosé in an ice bucket is the perfect touch as it enhances the mood of cool refreshment. Serving ice in your rosé is a provencal habit which is a matter of taste, and in practice, does no harm to certain more lowly examples of this beverage!