What is the Best Way to Chill Wine and What Are the Optimum Wine Serving Temperatures?

Serving temperatures definitely make a difference in how wines are enjoyed by the tasters. In general, white wines are best when they are served chilled. These wines would be your Pinot Gris, Rieslings, and Gewurtraminers. Chilling of these wine varieties helps to preserve the fresh fruity flavors. One possible exception to this rule for chilling temperatures of white wines is Chardonnay. Chardonnays are fermented and more complex and thus should be chilled at the very upper end of the white wine chilling (55 degrees F).There are special wine refrigerators, however if you are chilling your own wine you can either use a regular refrigerator or a bucket of ice water.To chill wine in a refrigerator it will take approximately three to four hours to chill to the correct serving temperature (refrigeration chills the wine approximately 5 degrees per half hour of chilling). You should never leave a bottle of wine in the refrigerator for more than a day or two. Wine left in the refrigerator too long will result in a "corked wine". No matter what, you should resist the temptation to try and quickly chill a bottle of wine by popping it into the freezer.By far the preferred method for chilling wine is in a bucket of ice and water. Fill the bucket approximately 2/3 full of ice and then add some water. Bury your bottle of wine in the ice and allow it to chill for 30 minutes to an hour. If the wine is chilled too long and served too cold the aromas and flavors of the wine will be suppressed.Red wines on the other hand are served at cooler room temperatures. Do not allow your wine to become too warm. You should keep it in an area of the house which is cooler. When wine is served too warm it tends to take on an alcohol, almost vinegar like edge which is an unbalanced and unpleasant taste.Here is a guide to the optimal wine serving temperatures for various wine varietals:White Wines: 45-50 degrees F (except Chardonnay: 55 degrees F Red Wines: 55-65 degrees F Sparkling Wines: 42-52 degrees F Rose Wines: 45-55 degrees FI've seen these serving temperatures vary by a few degrees one way of the other on a few sites, however these are the rules I was given long long long ago by one of my wine mentors and they are the ones I've always followed.Wine experts would cringe at the thought of adding ice cubes directly to your wine glass, however my rule is enjoy your wine the way you like it...and if a cube or 2 does it for you then by all means enjoy...after all it is your glass of wine!