How To Serve A Sparkling Red Wine

27 May What’s the Best Way to Serve a Sparkling Red Wine?

Posted at 12:15h in Wine Tips, Wines by SpartlingHeath 0 Comments

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Every wine is different in the way it tastes. It’s a known fact that whites, reds and sparkling wine have to be served at different temperatures, to enjoy their best flavours. While most red wines do assume their best bouquet and flavour when they are served at room temperature, many people like to drink sparkling reds, chilled. It’s important to know what the best way to serve sparkling wine is; this will help ensure that you as well as your guests are able to enjoy this drink the way it should be.

Chilling the Wine Helps

Many sparkling wines like a sparkling Shiraz is best when it’s served chilled. When this wine is served at a cooler temperature, it maximises its bubbly content and the wine develops an amazing crispness. You should be careful though and not chill it for too long as that can overshadow its subtle flavours. This is why it’s important that you be a little restrained while chilling a sparkling red wine.

Chilling Wine in the Refrigerator

Regardless of whether you are chilling a white or red wine, experts recommend that you should chill it in your refrigerator for around 4 hours. It’s best to remove the wine at least 10 minutes before you serve it. This way, the wine gets slightly warm which helps its flavours really shine through.

Using an Ice Bucket to Chill the Wine

You can use an ice bucket to chill red as well as white sparkling wines. Just place the bottle in an upright position inside the bucket and then add some ice and water. Leave the bottle this way for at least 30 minutes – this will ensure it reaches the perfect temperature.

Freezer Chilling is a No-No

If you are in a hurry to serve your sparkling red wine, you can chill it for around 15 to 20 minutes in a freezer, but that’s not really advisable. When you are busy preparing to entertain guests, it’s natural for you to forget that your wine is lying there. If that’s what happens, you’ll be left with a big exploded mess. When you’re in a hurry, it’s far better to use a rapid wine chiller instead.

Chilling the Wine to a Certain Temperature

The ideal temperature to serve a sparkling red wine is between 10 and 12 degree Celsius. Most refrigerators are around 1 degree Celsius – that’s exactly why it’s crucial that you remove the wine and then let it stand for some time before you serve it.

A sparkling red wine is an amazing accompaniment for various foods and lends a very festive feel to a gathering. It is also a complex and beautiful alternative to any traditional white sparkling wine. Regardless of whether you prefer a dry or sweet wine, the only way to enjoy a red sparkling wine to its fullest, is to chill it properly.

Choose the Right Type of Glassware

When it comes to choosing the right glassware to serve your sparkling red wine, it’s best to serve it in a Champagne flute. This helps preserve the bubbles as the flute has a very small surface area. You can also enjoy watching the tiny red bubbles floating up to the surface of the wine. A sparkling red wine is perfect for the summer months and the weirdly warm winters that we sometimes tend to have in Australia,

For any information about wine cellars and cellaring wine, call Signature Cellars at 02 9340 7515. Alternatively, simply use this contact form to connect with us and we will get back to you shortly.

Thanks for reading,
Neil Smallman
Signature Cellars
02 9340 7515