Question: What temperature should red wine be served at?
Answer: That white wine is best served chilled and red wine should be kept at room temperature is a commonly held belief - the truth is a little more complicated than that.
The ideal temperature for a red wine is actually between 14ºC and 18ºC, which is a lot lower than most houses or Spanish restaurants.
Red Wine Temperatures at Spanish Restaurants
A good bodega in Spain will serve its wine from a wine cooler. Note that in summer, when ambient temperature could be between 25ºC and 40ºC, a properly chilled wine will feel cold to the touch. Don't do what I did in La Rioja once and ask, "Why is this wine so cold?" if you want to pretend you know your wine!
But also don't confuse a properly chilled red wine with one that has come straight out of the fridge. Spain makes a lot of bad wine and a lot of it served as part of a 'menu del dia' lunch. To disguise the bad flavor of the wine, the restaurant may serve the wine especially cold.
Read more about:
