Serving wine
At what temperature to serve each of our wines, and a few simple tips to show it at its best.
– °C
General guidelines
A few simple tips
Neither too warm nor too cold
“Room temperature” used to mean a cool room. Served too warm, a red tastes heavy; too cold, a white or rosé loses its aromas.
Open a little in advance
A red often benefits from being opened a while before the meal, or poured into a decanter, to breathe.
A third of a glass
Fill the glass about a third full: the wine has room to breathe, and you to smell it.
Storing bottles
Lying down, away from light, somewhere cool where the temperature varies little.
An opened bottle
Well stoppered and kept cool, it will keep for a few days.
Why temperature matters
Too warm, a red wine seems heavy and the alcohol stands out. Too cold, a white or a rosé closes up and loses its aromas. A few degrees are enough to change how the same wine is perceived.
The “room temperature” of old was that of a barely heated house, around 16 °C. In a modern room, a red often benefits from a spell somewhere cool before being served.
Chilling or warming without mistakes
A bucket of water and ice cools a bottle far faster than the fridge. For a red that is too cold, simply wait: once poured into the glass, it warms up quickly. Avoid the freezer, which is easily forgotten, and direct heat, which shocks the wine.
Serving at the table
Open reds a little in advance, or pour them into a decanter to aerate them. Fill the glass a third full: the wine has room to breathe, and you have room to smell it. Serve from the lightest to the most powerful.
Your questions
Frequently asked questions
At what temperature should a Fronton red wine be served?
Between 14 and 18 °C, according to the general guideline for red wines. Two of our sheets specify their own range, from 15 or 16 to 18 °C, which the thermometer displays.
Should a red wine be decanted?
It is not essential. A young red often benefits from aeration, in a decanter or simply by opening it a while before the meal.
How long does it take to chill a bottle?
Allow about twenty minutes in a bucket of water and ice, and nearly two hours in the fridge, for a bottle at room temperature.
Can a red go in the fridge?
Yes, half an hour before serving if the room is warm. It will return to the right temperature in the glass.
