Which wines need to be chilled before Serving?

[Bluenet98]

Fairly new to wines and want to know which wines are needed to be chilled for the best taste?

[Innkeeper]

Red wine, 65 degrees (F).
White & rose wine, 55 degrees (F).
Champagne & other bubbly, 45 degrees (F).

To get to those temperatures reds can normally just be kept in the cellar. This is also called "cellar temperature." Whites and rose's can be put in the fridge for a few hours, and the bubblies longer. It is far better to use an ice bucket. Fill the bucket up with ice about 4/5ths, cover the ice with water. If the "room" temperature of your reds are over 65 degrees, immerse them for five minutes; whites and rose's for ten minutes; and bubblies for fifteen to twenty minutes. Light reds such as Bardolino, Valpolicella, Nouveau and Plain Ole Beaujolais, and others of that weight should soak nearly as long as the whites.

There are certain restaurants around that, shall we say, are not wine savy. They tend to store their wine in places like the hall behind the ovens. When in such a eatery, the first thing I do when the wine comes to the table is put my hand around it. If the bottle is warm or hot, I demand an ice bucket. This invariably causes a huge commotion. Managers run over and inform me that red wine is served at "room" temperature; causing me to give them an education on wine service. Guests at our table turn red. People at adjacent tables move, or chuckle behind their napkins. This is the trouble that comes with learning a little about wine.

[This message has been edited by Innkeeper (edited 03-10-2000).]