Wine Storage: Temperature Guide

Wine storage temperature

If you’ve just bought yourself a new wine cooler or are in the process of, it helps to know what the ideal storage temperature for your wine is. If you take your wine collection seriously enough to invest in a wine fridge, then you want to make sure that you’re using it effectively.

Our wine coolers have features like multi temperature zones so you can use it for your whole collection no matter what wines it’s made up of. 

We have a fantastic range of wine fridges in the Refrigeration section alongside other fridges, freezers and American-Style fridge freezers. Check out our range for high-quality wine coolers from top, market-leading brands. 

What is the Ideal Temperature for Storing Wine?

Perhaps the most important thing to know if you’re buying a wine fridge, is what temperature it needs to be stored at. And the answer to that is contingent on what type of wine you are storing. 

Here are the ideal storage temperatures for the following wines:

  • Red Wine: 12-18°C
  • White Wine & Rose: 8-12°C
  • Champagne & Prosecco: 4-7°C

With contemporary wine fridges, they give you the power to store wine at different temperatures all within the same unit. 

Red, White and Champagne Bottles
A glass of red wine

Red Wine

It’s a common misunderstanding that red wine is ideal at room temperature. This isn’t strictly true. It depends on how full-bodied it is, but if you have a lighter red wine, then you can cool it down a bit. If it’s a full-bodied red then warmer is better. 

If you don’t have a wine fridge, then putting the bottle in the fridge for about half an hour before serving should chill it just enough.

Glass of White Wine

White Wine

White wine is more acidic and tends to incorporate more fruity flavours. Because of this, serving temperature is quite important for white wine & rose. Different types of white wine have their own ideal serving temperature too. Chilling the wine takes the edge off of the acidity and lets those tasting notes shine more. 

A Glass of Sparkling Wine

Sparkling Wine

With more of a bright acidity and plenty of fruity flavours, sparkling wine should definitely always be served very chilled. If served warm then all the good qualities of the wine get lost and it makes for a relatively poor drinking experience.

Wine Temperature List

Here’s our comprehensive list of what temperature different wine should be stored at. We’re going to start at the warmest and work our way down.

thermometer

19°C: Port, Madeira

18°C: Shiraz, Zinfandel

17°C: Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Red Burgundy

16°C: Pinot Noir, Merlot, Bordeaux, Rioja

15°C: Chianti

14°C: Sherry, Tawny Port

12°C: Full-bodied Chardonnay

10°C: Chardonnay

9°C: Sauvignon Blanc

8°C: Pinot Blanc, Vintage Champagne, Muscats, and Sparkling Wine

6°C: Non-Vintage Champagne, Muscats and Sparkling Wine

5°C: Cava 

These are the most popular types of wine you’re likely to store, and should give you an indication of what temperature to store other wines that haven’t been specified above at.

Note that some wines require different storage temperatures based on their age and the region they come from too. For example, Italian white wines should be stored at 8°C and Spanish and Portuguese red wines that haven’t been aged for long should be stored at 13°C. 

Shop our full range of Wine Coolers in our Refrigeration section. They make a stylish addition to your kitchen, or you can start taking proper care of your wine collection with a big wine fridge in the basement. Not everyone can afford a dedicated wine cellar but with our high quality wine fridges you don’t have to. 

With lines of fridges, freezers and more as well as Cooking, Extraction and Laundry sections, save money when you buy online at Appliance City today!