Tips for Refreshing Your White Wine
In summer, an aperitif can usually be improvised! But beware, if it's a glass of white wine that you want to taste, freshness is the order of the day! Here are a few tips for serving it at the right temperature!
Selection of white wines to chill under the parasol
MISTAKE N°1: TAKING IT OUT TOO LATE!
Don't make the common mistakes that could spoil this convivial moment!
Soon it will be time for an aperitif...though you might not yet know it! If the time comes unexpectedly, beware! Even if you have very good bottles in your cellar, it is essential to ensure the ideal serving conditions in order to properly respect the wine...and your guests! The most common mistake is not chilling the bottle a sufficient minimum amount of time in advance. It is best to serve water in the meantime if that is the case!
Tip:
For once the tip we will give you is social and not about wine! The trick lies in distracting your guests' attention for even just 20 minutes. Pique their curiosity with the painting hidden behind the coat rack in the entrance hall or whatever ice breaker you have available. While your guests take a little time to get to know one another, discreetly sneak into your kitchen to put the bottle of white wine in the freezer. You can swaddle it in a wet cloth to cool it faster.
Needless to say, for the sake of clarity, if when you open the door you see them smiling with a bottle of white wine in their hand, it will suffer the same fate.
MISTAKE N°2: FORGETTING THE BOTTLE IN THE FREEZER
Yes, it can happen...you didn’t mean to, but it happens much more often than you think. Especially if you are the only one who knows that the bottle is in the freezer!
Tip:
You might want to think about starting an aperitif! Even if you've settled on another drink, get the bottle out. If strong alcohol only freezes at -100°C, it's unlikely that our bottle of white wine will freeze at -18°C in the freezer. However, the water in the wine will freeze and turn solid. The ice then exerts pressure on the cork and pushes it outwards. You don't want the wine to spill into the freezer tray, or worse, the bottle to break! Sometimes the cork does not come out completely, in which case the wine will still have suffered from the frost and its composition will have been altered.
If this is the case, bring it out to room temperature and in the next few days, you can use it in the kitchen to make some tasty dishes! And if the bottle has been in the freezer for less than 20 minutes, it's not too late: you can still enjoy the wine by warming it with your hands on your glass.
MISTAKE N°3: LEAVING THE BOTTLE OPEN AT ROOM TEMPERATURE...OR WORSE, IN THE SUN!
Once cooled, the bottle can quickly warm up, especially if you are on an unshaded terrace in the summer. The important thing is to maintain the serving temperature if you are thinking of getting a refill.
Tip:
An ice bucket! Fill the bucket with cold water and add a few ice cubes. The bottle will keep for about two hours and stay at the right conditions for maximal enjoyment.
Another essential gadget: the bottle thermometer! The foolproof gadget to avoid making mistakes!
MISTAKE N°4: PUTTING ICE CUBES IN YOUR GLASS
No! Melting ice water would dilute the wine, altering its original texture. This is far from respecting the winegrower’s work.
Tip:
Frozen grapes! As a table grape, the Italia grape variety is perfect. Place these large Italian white grapes in the freezer for two hours. They will serve as ice cubes. This technique works just as well for rosé wines or champagne, for which you can also freeze blueberries or raspberries. The icing on the cake: Bite into the fresh fruit after the last sip! It's very refreshing!
The best thing to do is to leave the bottle in the fridge door for about one hour.
Serving temperatures of white wine
Dry white wine with a light consistency: between 8 and 10°C
We are looking for freshness to highlight the sharp and lively side of the wine. Effective for Chablis, Muscadets, Pinot Blancs d'Alsace, Entre-Deux-Mers...
Dry white wine of medium to powerful consistency: 10 to 12°C
If the bottle is too cold, the woody aromas of the wine aged in barrels will not emerge. Warmth allows the molecules to express their complexity of their flavour. Suitable for Meursault, Condrieu...
Sweet white wine: 6 to 8°C
The cold reduces the sweet sensation so as not to saturate the palate. Suitable for vendanges tardives wines, Sauternes, Coteaux du Layon, Muscats Beaumes de Venise...
Sparkling white wine: 6 to 10°C
The fresher it is drunk, the livelier the fizz! Valid for Champagnes, Crémants, Vouvray, Prosecco...
Vin jaune: 13 to 15°C
These wines should be drunk at room temperature. They should therefore be brought to room temperature a few hours in advance. This applies to Arbois, Côtes du Jura, L'Étoile, Château-Chalon...
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