Yes, You Can Chill Red Wine. Here's When You Should Serve It Cold

The subject of wine can be intimidating because it's an incredibly vast subject. Consumers are also bombarded with an awful lot of "rules" to follow. All in all, you should drink what you like, whether it has been highly rated, lowly rated, or not rated at all. As to a wine's temperature, however, the right level can absolutely affect how any bottle tastes. And while many of us wine drinkers keep our whites chilled and our reds stored at room temperature, we may be doing our reds a disservice if we serve them that way.

We spoke to a professional regarding this matter. Joe Mele, a sommelier and co-host of The Wine Pair Podcast, not only rates and reviews wines, but he also breaks down the subject so it's more approachable. Mele told us, "You should always serve a red wine below room temperature." He recommended chilling a bottle in the fridge for about 20 minutes to get it to the ideal temperature — this is known as the 20/20 rule.

If you have a wine cellar or temperature-controlled wine chiller, you can be a bit more precise with the temperature of reds. "You want to aim for about 65 degrees Fahrenheit or so for most wines — a little lower for lighter reds (like Pinot Noir and Gamay)," Mele said. Otherwise, that 20-minute period in the fridge should get a red to right around that temperature, which is perfect for serving.

The reason Joe Mele believes most all wines need to be refrigerated before serving is simple: They taste better this way. He explained, "Wine that gets too warm, even room temperature warm, starts to taste a little flabby, even those big California cabs." For context, when a wine is called "flabby," it's never a positive description. It usually means a wine tastes like it's missing something, like the acidity that makes it taste well-rounded, full, and pleasant. 

Mele also cautioned that glaring heat should never be part of a wine's environment. "Any wine left out in the heat or sun will start to taste not so great," he warned, which is why wine can only stay in a hot car very briefly.

The flip side of the 20/20 rule has to do with white wines, which many people store in their refrigerators. For an optimum sipping experience, Mele suggested you take your whites out of the fridge and let them warm up for about 20 minutes before you plan on opening and serving them. It's a common wine myth that white wines should be served ice cold. Whether you're drinking red or white, give it the time it needs in the fridge (and out of it).