Red wine temperature: at which to store and drink the wine

The serving temperature of a red wine or a white wine is key for a proper tasting: each wine should be served at a specific temperature to best enhance its bouquet of aromas, body, and flavor.

Proper red wine temperature is essential to preserve all its organoleptic characteristics. Temperature fluctuations, even by a few degrees, can amplify olfactory or taste sensations toward a more pleasant wine or damage a fine bottle of wine, compromising its organoleptic characteristics expertly produced during aging in fine barrels.

When considering at what temperature to store red wine, it may be helpful to keep the following principles in mind:

• higher temperatures enhance the softness and body of the wine;
• lower temperatures refine the perception of the wine's savoriness and sweetness.

In the case of red wine, this factor is even more important, as these wines have a rich and intense bouquet and a high concentration of tannins, which can be significantly affected by temperature.

Red wine: serving and storage temperature

The serving temperature is the ideal temperature at which to serve red wine, that is, the temperature that best enhances its qualities and it is stated on the label.

The storage temperature instead is the temperature at which to store the wine when it is not served during meals. This does not always match ambient temperature. In winter and summer, the ambient temperature is far from the 20°C referred to when talking about red wine and recommended temperature. In such cases, in summer placing the bottle in the refrigerator briefly may be necessary to bring the wine back to its ideal temperature.

Wines should actually always be stored at a controlled temperature, such as in a wine cellar, to avoid temperature changes as damaging as humidity and direct light. It is advisable to set the temperature of red wine in a wine cellar between 12°C and 16°C.

At what temperature should red wine be enjoyed?

• Full-bodied red wines, with good structure and high tannin content are served at a temperature of 16-18°°C, meaning the ideal temperature to keep the right balance between softness and hardness and to enhance the wide bouquet of aromas that such full-bodied wines hold
• moderately structured red wines are served at a slightly lower temperature:14-16°C;
• young red wines or very young wines, finally, are served at a temperature of 13-14°C.

Which red wine needs to be refrigerated?

Some red wines best express their organoleptic properties through a brief period in the refrigerator, especially during the seasons of the year when ambient temperature may exceed 20°C, which is the threshold above which the properties of red wines, particularly sweetness and alcohol content, might be altered by heat.

In the summer, fresh and light red wines are preferred, with a moderate presence of tannins, a complex floral bouquet and a good degree of acidity that can be further enhanced by a brief stay in the refrigerator before tasting. These include, for example, Stilnovo, a fresh and light red wine with fruity notes that tease the palate and the presence of barely perceivable tannins, to be brought to the table at a serving temperature of 16-18°C.

The ideal temperature of Banfi’s red wine

Among the many wines produced by Banfi whose list continues to grow thanks to the in-depth knowledge of the terroir and ongoing research - Banfi boasts several red wines. Here is an overview of the ideal temperature of Banfi's most popular red wines.

Rosso di Montalcino, with its complex and well-balanced structure, lingering finish and marked acidity, has a recommended serving temperature of 16°C, which allows boosting the blackberry and raspberry hints enhanced by the scent of coffee and tobacco that characterize this wine.

Also, Brunello di Montalcino with its sweet and fruity bouquet, enriched by hints of pipe tobacco and with its lively and powerful structure is served at a temperature of 16-18°C. This strengthens the perfect balance between the softness of the tannins and the persistent acidity of this red wine.

Centine Toscana IGT is wine created from a blend of exceptionally fine red varieties. It has a full, round structure with a very balanced finish. Its complex bouquet of aromas, a skillful combination of sweet and spicy hints is best enjoyed at a serving temperature of 16°C.

The acidic freshness of L’Altra calls for a recommended temperature of 16°C for this red wine, which, as is the case with all medium-bodied red wines, is ideal to enhance the sweetness of the tannins and let this wine's floral hints of violets flourish.

Belnero is a red wine with an intense and elegant aroma of ripe fruit and vanilla that frees its delicate fragrance at a temperature of 16°C.

In summary, we always recommend following the label directions or the producer’s advice to identify the right temperature of red wine.