In general, white wines are best when they are served chilled. There are special wine refrigerators, however if you are chilling your own wine you can either use a regular refrigerator or a bucket of ice water.

To chill wine in a refrigerator it will take approximately three to four hours to chill to the correct serving temperature. You should never leave a bottle of wine in the refrigerator for more than a day or two. Wine left in the refrigerator too long will result in a "corked wine". No matter what, you should resist the temptation to try and quickly chill a bottle of wine by popping it into the freezer.

By far the preferred method for chilling wine is in a bucket of ice and water. Fill the bucket approximately 2/3 full of ice and then add



some water. Bury your bottle of wine in the ice and allow it to chill for 30 minutes to an hour. If the wine is chilled too long and served too cold the aromas and flavors of the wine will be suppressed.

Red wines on the other hand are served at cooler room temperatures. Do not allow your wine to become too warm. You should keep it in an area of the house which is cooler. When wine is served too warm it tends to take on an alcohol, almost vinegar like edge which is an unbalanced and unpleasant taste.

Here is a guide to the optimal wine serving temperatures for various wine varietals:

White Wines: 45-50 degrees F
Red Wines: 50-65 degrees F
Sparkling Wines: 42-52 degrees F
Rose Wines: 45-55 degrees F