How to serve a Pinot Noir

[terryf]

Someone gave me a bottle of Pinot Noir and I don't know if this red wine is best served at room tempurature or if it better chilled? Can someone fill me in? Thanks.

[hades_ibex]

My Wine for Dummies book says 16°C to 18°C (62°F to 65°F) for most reds and 14°C to 16°C (58°F to 62°F) for light, fruity reds (probably yours). I normally stick my reds in the fridge for 15-20 mins.

[Innkeeper]

Hi Terry and welcome to the Wine Board. Hades has it right.

[Tastevin]

Hello Terry,
I am a new member in England and have just come across this great site. Yours was the first question I saw. Whilst it may be somewhat after the event, I offer you my thoughts on the subject of 'Pinot Noir - chilled or room temperature'? Generally Pinot Noir, as with other reds (except for those from the Beaujolais, which are made from the Gamay grape) are best served at room temperature. Sometimes there are exceptions to this, so I suggest that when buying reds you ask your wine merchant for advice. I bet that 99.99 times out of a 100 the answer will be 'room temperature'. Returning to Beaujolais wines if I may, I find these do benefit by being chilled, especially Brouilly.
AN ASIDE HER TO HADES - Hades do you really stick all your reds in the fridge! Perhaps it is so hot in BC that you have to do that in order to bring the wine's temperature down to what we in England call 'room temperature', say about mid F60's?(:-). I am not being facetious, I am interested to know.
ANOTHER ASIDE HERE TO INNKEEPER THIS TIME -Innkeeper, do you really believe Hades has got it right by sticking his reds in the fridge?

[dananne]

Generally, room temp in the States, from my experience, is 70* or a bit above.

[wineguruchgo]

Hello Tastevin,

I just wanted to say welcome to the board. If you love wine you will love this site!

Hope to see you here again.

[buradayam]

I store my reds in a wine chiller at the top where it is about 55 degrees...and the whites are in the bottom where it is 50. The cooler is in my garage here in Florida where, with no AC, the garage temps are frequently 90+

[Tastevin]

Hello Wineguruchgo, thanks very much for your welcome.

[Tastevin]

Thanks Buradayam, so on average at what temperature are your reds when you serve them?

[Thomas]

Buradayam, 50 for whites and 55 for reds is ok for storage, but I would serve each 5 to 10 degrees warmer.

[This message has been edited by foodie (edited 01-11-2004).]

[buradayam]

When I remove the reds, I do let them sit in the decanter for awhile...not sure of exact time. The whites are put in my ice bucket and chilled further, as I do like my whites cold. The exception are my beaujalais, which are not decanted.

My cooler has room for only 20 bottles, but now has about 25 in it. I do have three cases of assorted bottles in my house which will replace the cooler-stored wines as I use them.

[Tastevin]

Hello Foodie,re temperature in general I agree. However, I do like to drink my Beaujolais, especially Brouilly, at around 50. I was introduced to it that way by a Beaujolais producer many moons ago. If you haven't tried Beaujolais that way, may I respectfully suggest you give it a whirl (no offense meant). As for my best reds, especially Bordeaux, but excluding Chianti, Cotes du Rhone, Zinfandel, I try to drink them at 63/64.

[This message has been edited by Tastevin (edited 01-12-2004).]