Wine is a perishable good. For ideal storage, set your wine cooler or wine refrigerator to the temperatures listed below depending on the type of wine that you are storing. Wine can be temperamental. The trick with wine is to store it at its ideal temperature and then to serve it at a temperature which best displays its individual characteristics. If you serve a wine too cool, the flavors will all be hidden, alternatively, if you serve a wine too hot, all you will taste is the alcohol.

Wines opened from a wine cooler will warm up to the room temperature thereby releasing vapors that will please the senses. Enjoy!

Below are recommended storage temperatures for various wines:

• Port, 66 degrees Fahrenheit, 19 degrees Celsius
• Bordeaux and Shiraz, 64 degrees Fahrenheit, 18 degrees Celsius
• Burgundy and Cabernet, 63 degrees Fahrenheit, 17 degrees celsius
• Pinot Noir and Rioja, 61 degrees Fahrenheit, 16 degrees Celsius
• Zinfandel and Chianti, 59 degrees Fahrenheit, 15 degrees Celsius
• Madeira, 57 degrees Fahrenheit, 14 degrees Celsius
• All Wines (Ideal Long Term Storage), 55 degrees Fahrenheit, 13 degrees Celsius
• Beaujolais and Rose, 54 degrees Fahrenheit, 12 degrees Celsius
• Viognier and Sauternes, 52 degrees Fahrenheit, 11 degrees Celsius
• Chardonnay, 48 degrees Fahrenheit, 9 degrees Celsius
• Riesling, 47 degrees Fahrenheit, 8 degrees Celsius
• Champagne, 45 degrees Fahrenheit, 7 degrees Celsius
• Asti Spumante, 41 degrees Fahrenheit, 5 degrees Celsius

  Published 7/16/2009 12:00:00 AM

  Tags: Temperature