03/10/08 Serving Temperature, White Wine

Welcome to Vine to Wine this is your host Linda Moran. Is it really that important to serve white wine at a particular temperature? I say yes if you expect to really enjoy it the way it was meant to be enjoyed. Join me as we discuss the optimum temperature to serve your white wine. Just like a cup of coffee that you enjoy most when it has cooled to just the right temperature for you, it is a pleasure to drink a wine that just seems to be at that perfect temperature - The temperature that really shows off the wine. For example if a white wine is too cold you loose the fragrance of the wine; and since 70 to 80 percent of your ability to perceive flavor comes from your sense of smell; you sure would miss out on the taste if you couldn't smell it. In addition if the wine is too cold the minute it enters your mouth those little taste buds on your tongue will freeze up, and you won't experience much more than the salivation that occurs from the wine's acidity. Because of that harsh acidity one might think that they didn't like the wine. On the other hand if the white wine is served to warm it may seem hot or vapid with alcohol and bland. One of the best ways to chill a white wine or sparkling wine is to submerge it about half to two thirds up the bottle in cold water with ice cubes added. Anyway you look at it if the wine is too cool or too warm you are really missing out on how good that wine really is. Remember to send your wine questions to Linda at Vine to Wine dot net and thank you for joining me on today's Vine to Wine.