Wine Cooler Talk

[jrwlms]

...bought my first wine cooler, what is your take on the optimal temperature setting for storing different wines?

The pundits say 55-degrees Fahrenheit; I’m currently storing at 57-degrees—not too cold for decanting flavorful whites with more body, while reds need a little time to aerate and reach room temperature.

What are you storing in your wine cooler?

 

[Johnd]

...bought my first wine cooler, what is your take on the optimal temperature setting for storing different wines?

The pundits say 55-degrees Fahrenheit; I’m currently storing at 57-degrees—not too cold for decanting flavorful whites with more body, while reds need a little time to aerate and reach room temperature.

What are you storing in your wine cooler?

In terms of storage, I keep my wines in the wine cellar at 55F, almost all of them are red wines, have very little white wine. I also decant and allow them to warm up a bit prior to serving them, though I don't check the temps to see what they are after they've been decanted.

A little blurb on serving temps I pulled off of the MasterClass website, FWIW: "When preparing to serve a stored bottle to fellow wine lovers, allow time for it to come up (or down) to the proper serving temperature. This ensures full expression of wine aroma and flavor. Red wine should be served chilled slightly below room temperature, somewhere between 58 and 65˚F (about 12-19˚C). The precise temperature is determined by the age of the wine, with older wines being held better at 61-65˚F and younger wines on the colder end of the spectrum. Reds with stronger tannins should be kept on the warmer end of the temperature spectrum than lighter red wines, which can go as cold as 55˚F. White wines, meanwhile, can and should be served colder than reds. But they mustn't be kept so cold as to affect the aromas. Instead, white wine should be chilled between 45-55˚F (8-12˚C). White sparkling wines should be on the colder end of that spectrum, as should sweet white wines. Champagne should be served coldest of all, at 38-45˚F (5-8˚C). "