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What Temperature Should I Store My Red Wine At?
If you are a fan of red wines, you should know how to properly take care of and preserve your red wines. There are many types of red wine and wine styles, each having its specific storage temperature. Storing your red wines at their appropriate temperatures is important so that your wines do not age rapidly and bring about undesirable tastes. Here are what you should know when storing red wine!
Ideal Wine Storage Temperature
The tastes and aging potential of red wine might be harmed by storing it at the incorrect temperature. When red wine is stored at a higher temperature, it ages more quickly. The red wine will heat up if the temperature rises beyond 70 degrees Fahrenheit, decreasing its rich aroma and flavors. Heat can also break down the wine’s seal, causing the wine to oxidize and deteriorate.
Alternatively, the aging process will be slowed if you store your red wine at a colder temperature. However, this will make it increasingly challenging to age a bottle of red wine correctly as there are no normal aging wine timings. Storing wine at a low temperature of around 20 degrees Fahrenheit might cause the cork and seal to break, shattering the wine bottle.
If you are keeping your red wine for more than a year, It is ideal to store them at a temperature of roughly 55 degrees Fahrenheit. As for short-term storage, you should keep your red wine between 45 and 65 degrees Fahrenheit.
Full-Bodied Red Wines
The alcohol concentration in full-bodied red wines is usually over 13.5 percent. These wines are often prepared from grapes with thick skins, rich tastes, and strong tannin levels. For full-bodied wines such as Red Burgundy, Cabernet, or Merlot, the ideal storage temperature is about 63 degrees Fahrenheit. As for Shiraz, Grand Cru, and Carmenere, these types of wines should be stored at 63 degrees Fahrenheit. Wines such as Vintage Port and Banyulus should be stored at 66 degrees Fahrenheit.
Light-To-Medium Red Wines
The alcohol percentage in medium-bodied red wines is from 12.5 to 13.5 percent, whereas light reds are under 12.5 percent. These wines are typically created using thin-skinned, delicate red grapes, such as Pinot Noir.
Wines such as Beaujolais should be stored at 54 degrees Fahrenheit while Portuguese and Spanish red wines should be kept at 55 degrees Fahrenheit. Light Zinfandels or Chianti is ideally kept at 59 degrees Fahrenheit. Bordeaux, Pinot Noir, and Rioja are kept at 61 degrees Fahrenheit.
Sweet Red Wines
Port and other sweet wines can be served at room temperature, whereas sparkling sweet wines should ideally be served at cellar temperature. The ideal storage temperature for wines such as Sherry, Tawny Port, Chinon, and Vin Santo should be 57 degrees Fahrenheit. For sparkling wine, Brachetto D’Acqui, Lambrusco, and Rosso Dolce, you should store them at 54 degrees Fahrenheit.
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