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It is a true-ism that white wines are served chilled and red wines are served at room temperature.  But is that strictly true?  What temperature is “chilled”?  What temperature is “room temperature”?

Scott Harvey recently posted to his blog on this subject.  He even provides a particularly handy chart of recommended serving temperatures for various wines.  The illustration up in the right hand corner of the post is clickable.  Check it out for the best temperature for several different wines.

Recall that these rules of thumb were developed in the dark ages of food before central heating, when people dressed for dinner because it was cold inside.  Most whites should be served between 40 and 45 degrees.  Most reds should be served between 48 and 65 degrees.  In many cases reds in the US are served far too warm.  This is particularly true in the Summer.  In the Summer don’t be afraid to pop your bottle of red in the fridge for 20 minutes before serving it.  It will help keep the acids lively enough to pair with your meal.