So what temperature should wine be served at?

Luckily the cellar doors in North Canterbury always serve their wines at the temperature the winemaker recommends so you will always be tasting them at the right temperature. Not always the case at home or in some bars and restaurants. So how do we know...

As always with wine (and the internet) there are some pretty good guidelines for what temperature to serve different styles of wines, but don't forget my golden rule of enjoying your wine the way that you like it. If you like your chardonnay super chilled then do it, but be aware that the winemaker has made it for you to enjoy a certain way and super chilled is not necessarily the way. Chardonnay, chenins and other aromatic wines do better at room temperature or slightly chilled. About 10 to 16°, and there is a really good reason for that. Wines served nearer to room temperature (assuming your room is a lovely 18 degrees) tend to let aromas and flavours be released more easily, whereas chilling dulls some flavours. Think of beautifully ripe peaches. Are they better out of the fruit bowl or straight out of the fridge? It saddens me a little to taste a beautiful Waipara chardonnay at some bars and restaurants that are pulled from the beer fridge that has been set at less than one degree. Perfect for that frosty refreshing beer not perfect for beautifully balanced chardonnay. Take the time to nestle that glass in your hands and get that wine perfect. As I'm always being told patience is a virtue that will be well rewarded.

So what about other styles of wine. Some wines thrive in that cold environment. Sauvignon blancs, rieslings, and bubbles all work well in cold temperatures. The high acid levels in these wines like a colder environment to shine. Bubbles in particular need to be cold or the co2 will be released and your wine will go flat, and no-one likes flat champagne! Predominantly citrus driven styles also like the cold. If you can taste lemon, lime or other citrus notes pop that baby in the fridge. Not too cold tho. A balmy 6 -13 degrees will see these wines right.

What about those delicious red wines I hear you ask. Room temperature right? Well yes and no...is your room in winter the same temperature than in summer? Maybe, maybe not. Easy rule of thumb is about 16 to 20 degrees. Traditionally room temperature meant cellar temperature. The wine caves in France where the barrels were stored were considered the optimum temperature for pinot noirs and Chardonnays. Long before the invention of fridges.  We quite often serve red wines too warm and white wines too cool in New Zealand.If your winter room is sitting at 23 there is no harm in popping that Pegasus Bay Pinot Noir in the fridge for a20 mins or so and then let it slightly warm up. Fruity reds are better on the cooler side of that range whereas bigger, more complex reds such as a deep rich cabernet, on the warmer end. If in doubt invest in a great wine fridge. Takes the guesswork right out of it. You'll definitely notice the difference. Still not sure? Try this easy test with your friends. Grab a stunning North Canterbury chardonnay, I can heartily recommend Black Estates home chardonnay, (that I was drinking that last night) pour 2 glasses. Leave one slightly chilled and pop one in the fridge for 30 mins. Taste. Viola. Let me know what you think. I have done this test many times and the results are always the same. So taste, explore, have fun with your wine. Your tastebuds will thank you and so will the winemakers.

Ever wondered about wine and food matching? It’s super easy, you just have to consider a few basic things.

Back in the day it used to be the protein that you matched. White wine with white meat, red wine with red meat. Not any more…

Firstly, know your food. Sounds obvious, but think about how the components work together and what is the strongest component on the dish. Meals don’t usually come with just one flavour, so what will be the dominant one?

Chicken is a great example. How is it cooked, what is the sauce? Thai green chicken curry? Try a riesling with some sweetness to balance out the spices. Coq au vin? Go for a fruity light bodied red. Creamy mushroom sauce? Throw some oak at that baby with a buttery chardonnay. If you want to try the opposite of a great food match, next time you have a chilli dish try a big red wine with it and you will see exactly what I mean! It just doesn’t work. Try the same dish with a medium sweet Riesling or of course the classic Gewürztraminer (lean towards a slightly sweeter one) and you will see a match made in heaven.

Secondly, know what you like. If you don’t like big reds but you’re having a steak, then try champagne or chardonnay. Not a great fan of whites but you want a delicate fish dish? Stick to some lighter styled red, rosé or even some bubbles. There are a ton of options out there. You don’t have to be confined by what others say are great matches. They are guidelines, not decrees. Just remember the best wine is the one that your taste buds like the best.

Thirdly, balance. You can do this two ways. Opposites attract right? Sweet balances acid, so… late harvest Riesling with a citrus lemon tart (sweet with sour), or lets be more compatible with a creamy oaky chardonnay with a big buttery sauce. I love having two different wines to try with the same dish to see what I think works better. That’s why tasting rooms are so great with restaurants attached as you can try the wines and experiment a little with what will work for you and your tastes.

There are loads of ways to match food and wine and a heap of information on the web about it of course, but I always go with the most important rule of all:

Have fun with it! Keep experimenting, and don’t be confined by what others tell you. Mix it up!

Happy drinking! Happy eating!

So what temperature should wine be served at?

Luckily the cellar doors in North Canterbury always serve their wines at the temperature the winemaker recommends so you will always be tasting them at the right temperature. Not always the case at home or in some bars and restaurants. So how do we know...

As always with wine (and the internet) there are some pretty good guidelines for what temperature to serve different styles of wines, but don't forget my golden rule of enjoying your wine the way that you like it. If you like your chardonnay super chilled then do it, but be aware that the winemaker has made it for you to enjoy a certain way and super chilled is not necessarily the way. Chardonnay, chenins and other aromatic wines do better at room temperature or slightly chilled. About 10 to 16°, and there is a really good reason for that. Wines served nearer to room temperature (assuming your room is a lovely 18 degrees) tend to let aromas and flavours be released more easily, whereas chilling dulls some flavours. Think of beautifully ripe peaches. Are they better out of the fruit bowl or straight out of the fridge? It saddens me a little to taste a beautiful Waipara chardonnay at some bars and restaurants that are pulled from the beer fridge that has been set at less than one degree. Perfect for that frosty refreshing beer not perfect for beautifully balanced chardonnay. Take the time to nestle that glass in your hands and get that wine perfect. As I'm always being told patience is a virtue that will be well rewarded.

So what about other styles of wine. Some wines thrive in that cold environment. Sauvignon blancs, rieslings, and bubbles all work well in cold temperatures. The high acid levels in these wines like a colder environment to shine. Bubbles in particular need to be cold or the co2 will be released and your wine will go flat, and no-one likes flat champagne! Predominantly citrus driven styles also like the cold. If you can taste lemon, lime or other citrus notes pop that baby in the fridge. Not too cold tho. A balmy 6 -13 degrees will see these wines right.

What about those delicious red wines I hear you ask. Room temperature right? Well yes and no...is your room in winter the same temperature than in summer? Maybe, maybe not. Easy rule of thumb is about 16 to 20 degrees. Traditionally room temperature meant cellar temperature. The wine caves in France where the barrels were stored were considered the optimum temperature for pinot noirs and Chardonnays. Long before the invention of fridges.  We quite often serve red wines too warm and white wines too cool in New Zealand.If your winter room is sitting at 23 there is no harm in popping that Pegasus Bay Pinot Noir in the fridge for a20 mins or so and then let it slightly warm up. Fruity reds are better on the cooler side of that range whereas bigger, more complex reds such as a deep rich cabernet, on the warmer end. If in doubt invest in a great wine fridge. Takes the guesswork right out of it. You'll definitely notice the difference. Still not sure? Try this easy test with your friends. Grab a stunning North Canterbury chardonnay, I can heartily recommend Black Estates home chardonnay, (that I was drinking that last night) pour 2 glasses. Leave one slightly chilled and pop one in the fridge for 30 mins. Taste. Viola. Let me know what you think. I have done this test many times and the results are always the same. So taste, explore, have fun with your wine. Your tastebuds will thank you and so will the winemakers.

Ever wondered about wine and food matching? It’s super easy, you just have to consider a few basic things.

Back in the day it used to be the protein that you matched. White wine with white meat, red wine with red meat. Not any more…

Firstly, know your food. Sounds obvious, but think about how the components work together and what is the strongest component on the dish. Meals don’t usually come with just one flavour, so what will be the dominant one?

Chicken is a great example. How is it cooked, what is the sauce? Thai green chicken curry? Try a riesling with some sweetness to balance out the spices. Coq au vin? Go for a fruity light bodied red. Creamy mushroom sauce? Throw some oak at that baby with a buttery chardonnay. If you want to try the opposite of a great food match, next time you have a chilli dish try a big red wine with it and you will see exactly what I mean! It just doesn’t work. Try the same dish with a medium sweet Riesling or of course the classic Gewürztraminer (lean towards a slightly sweeter one) and you will see a match made in heaven.

Secondly, know what you like. If you don’t like big reds but you’re having a steak, then try champagne or chardonnay. Not a great fan of whites but you want a delicate fish dish? Stick to some lighter styled red, rosé or even some bubbles. There are a ton of options out there. You don’t have to be confined by what others say are great matches. They are guidelines, not decrees. Just remember the best wine is the one that your taste buds like the best.

Thirdly, balance. You can do this two ways. Opposites attract right? Sweet balances acid, so… late harvest Riesling with a citrus lemon tart (sweet with sour), or lets be more compatible with a creamy oaky chardonnay with a big buttery sauce. I love having two different wines to try with the same dish to see what I think works better. That’s why tasting rooms are so great with restaurants attached as you can try the wines and experiment a little with what will work for you and your tastes.

There are loads of ways to match food and wine and a heap of information on the web about it of course, but I always go with the most important rule of all:

Have fun with it! Keep experimenting, and don’t be confined by what others tell you. Mix it up!

Happy drinking! Happy eating!