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What temperature should you store white wine?

Author

Olivia Carter

Published Feb 27, 2026

What temperature should you store white wine?

Most wine lovers agree that storing temperatures and serving temperatures are two different things. So, despite that reds and whites are typically served at different temperatures, the ideal storage temperature for both is about 55 degrees F, which will help keep your wines from the risk of aging prematurely.

Likewise, people ask, what temperature do you keep a wine fridge?

Typically, white wines should be stored in the temperature range of 46°F to 56°F and red wines will be stored between 58°F to 68°F. The best way to accommodate both wines within the same unit is to purchase a dual zone wine cooler.

Similarly, can white wine be stored at room temperature? The ideal temperature for storing white wine is between 45 to 65 °F (7 to 18 °C). Store your wine in a basement, interior closet, or wine fridge to keep it cool. Because white wine is very sensitive to light, store it in a dark place out of direct sunlight and fluorescent light.

Just so, what is the best temperature for white wine?

The best temperature for white wine is 49-55 degrees.If your wine is too cold, you won't get any of the good stuff (or the bad…

How cold should you store white wine?

55 degrees F

Should you refrigerate wine?

When to put red wine in the refrigerator
Very few red wines need to be completely chilled before drinking with the exception of sparkling wines like Lambrusco. But reds can benefit from being in the refrigerator after they've been opened. "Once you open a bottle of red and are done drinking it, keep it in the fridge.

Should you refrigerate white wine?

White Wine. Many people refrigerate opened white wine, but keep opened red wine at room temperature. Expensive red wines, in particular, are even said to improve from a small amount of oxidization. However, putting white wine in the fridge is better than using ice to make it cold, which will dilute your wine.

What temperature should white wine fridge be?

White wines should be served between 45-52 degrees F depending on the variety and reds between 58-65 degrees F. The rule of thumb is the lighter the wine, the colder it should be served and the bigger the wine, the warmer it should be served.

Do you refrigerate Pinot Noir?

As with most red wines, Pinot Noir is ideally served at slightly cooler than room temperature. It is a myth that red wines should be served at room temperature, which is too warm. Lighter bodied reds, such as Pinot Noir, are best served at about 55°F. If you are using stemless glasses, don't hold the wine in your hand.

How many bottles of wine do I need for 50 people?

For example, if you have 100 guests and they will be drinking for about 3 hours, the math would be this: 100 guests X 3 glasses an hour (have to assume this metric) = 300 glasses of wine. 1 Bottle = 6 glasses, so 300/6 = 50 bottles of wine. 12 bottles = 1 case, so you will need a little more than 4 cases of wine.

How long can you keep unopened wine in the fridge?

WHITE WINE - UNOPENED BOTTLE
How long does unopened white wine last? Most ready-to-drink wines are at their best quality within 3 to 5 years of production, although they will stay safe indefinitely if properly stored; fine wines can retain their quality for many decades.

Do you refrigerate Chardonnay?

Riesling should be chilled for 4 or 5 hours, a chardonnay for 1-2 hours, merlot for an hour and cabernets for a half hour or less. If time is short, a freezer will drop the temperature about 6-8 degrees every fifteen minutes.

Is white wine hot or cold for body?

White Wine And Rosé Should Be Served Cold — 50 to 60 degrees
After opening the bottle and pouring everyone their first glass, we prefer not to place it on ice, but instead let the bottle sweat on the table, as the wine's aromas and character changes slightly as the temperature rises, which we love.

What temperature do you keep Chardonnay at?

However, when they're too cold, flavors become muted. Like reds, fuller-bodied wines like Chardonnay from Burgundy and California shine between 50°F and 60°F. Dessert wines like Sauternes fall into the same range. Lighter, fruitier wines work best colder, between 45°F and 50°F, or two hours in the fridge.

How do you chill white wine quickly?

Wrapping your bottle in damp paper towel and placing it in the freezer for 15-20 minutes can significantly decrease the wine's temperature. Simply get a few sheets of absorbent paper towel and dunk them in cold water. Wrap the wet paper towels around the bottle and place it in the freezer until it is chilled.

What happens if wine is served too warm?

The right temperature of wine will bring out aroma, body and flavor of whatever wine is in your glass. Serving a wine too warm can lead to tasting only the alcohol and bitterness in the wine, while serving it too cold will mask the acidity, fruit structure or sweetness of the wine.

When should I drink red or white wine?

Red wines typically pair well with red meat because meat stands up to the tannins, but you can substitute rich, full-bodied whites. White wines tend to have more acidity than reds, which can counterbalance rich foods and cut through heavy notes, especially when a dish is served with a sauce or in a stew.

Do you serve white wine cold?

The old adage of serving white wines chilled and red wines at room temperature is a useful starting point, although not nearly detailed enough. A wine served a little too cold or a little too warm can lose an awful lot of character, particularly with respect to aroma. Red wines often also need a little chilling.

Do you drink wine warm or cold?

Conventional wisdom says white wines should be chilled, so we pull them out of the refrigerator just before dinner; red wines should be served at room temperature, so we leave them by the stove while we cook. Do yourself a favor and forget all that. We tend to drink our whites too cold and reds too warm.

How do you drink white wine?

Steps
  1. Chill your white wine to 50 to 60 °F (10 to 16 °C) before serving it.
  2. Drink your wine out of a white wine glass with a small bowl.
  3. Hold your glass by the stem to avoid heating the wine with your hands.
  4. Take some time to appreciate the appearance and aroma of the wine.

Should sauvignon blanc be chilled?

White wines like Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Loire Valley wines, Rieslings, Rosé, Gerwurtraminers, non-oaked Chardonnay, and other white varietals should be served around 45F/7C. The bottle will feel chilled to the touch.

Does white wine go bad if not refrigerated?

It depends what you mean by “bad.” Wine is most vulnerable once it's been opened and exposed to air. Refrigeration is largely irrelevant. White wine in particular will oxidize quickly once opened and is best drunk within 24 hours, even if kept chilled.

Will white wine go bad?

If it's a quality one, it can be stored even for a hundred years and after opening it'll be of great quality. Cheap wines, on the other hand, should be used within a few years. That's true for white, red, and sparking wine. Once the bottle of wine is opened, it will go bad fairly quickly, usually within a week.

How long can I store wine at room temperature?

So, if you can afford to buy large-format wine bottles, they hold up better than standard bottles in less-than-ideal conditions. Storing wine under these conditions is a short-term solution. You should not store wine longer than 6 months at room temperature.

How long can you store unopened white wine?

White Wine: 1-2 years past the expiration date. Red Wine: 2-3 years past the expiration date. Cooking Wine: 3-5 years past the expiration date. Fine Wine: 10 to 20 years.