Wine Serving Temperature for Merlot

Wine Stereotypes

White wine goes with fish. Red wine goes with steak. White wines are served chilled, red wines are served at room temperature…and on and on. We are all familiar with the stereotypes of wine and we know that wine has many stereotypes!Instead of just regurgitating the same old “rules” that have been handed down to us throughout the years, it’s nice to take a close look at some of these rules and procedures and perhaps take a different, more thoughtful take on them. A perfect example is wine serving temperatures. Since most red wine drinkers are drinking Merlot in the U.S. let’s start there.

Guidelines, Not Rigid Rules

When we talk about wine serving temperatures in general, there is no rigid, correct answer. That goes for everything else in wine as well. There is no one glass to use or one type of corkscrew,or one type of food to pair with your wine or anything else. Wine drinking should be enjoyable for you and also something that you can experiment with and try out new ideas on your own. Sure, there are “rules and regs” that go along with wine, but think of them more as suggested guidelines rather than demanded rigid conformity. No one can tell you that ALL Merlot (or any wine for that matter) is to be served at precisely 62 degrees. It depends on many factors…including what your own personal tastes are. If you ask many wine professionals (wine educators, sommeliers, etc.) what the serving temperature for Merlot is, they would give you a range of degrees—somewhere between 50-65° F. That’s a pretty big span, don’t you think? Let’s talk about the wine serving temperature for merlot.

Merlot Serving Temperatures

All Merlots are not the same. Perhaps you bought an inexpensive, new vintage Merlot out of Lodi displaying characteristics of very soft, simple fruit, low alcohol and not a ton of complexity. This type of Merlot can be served in a wide range of temperatures between 55 and 65° because the alcohol is low and the fruit flavor is more up front and ready to drink.

By contrast, perhaps you bought a more expensive Merlot from Napa that comes from a higher elevation and older vines. This wine displays more tannin complexity/layers of flavor. You want to serve this wine at a warmer temperature above 60° or so.

Finally, let’s say you are opening a very powerful, robust Merlot. This wine has high alcohol, ripe fruit, and is basically a powerhouse (these types of Merlots do exist by the way). Serving this wine with a little more chill would be ideal…perhaps cellar temperature or so (about 55°). So now you ask why? Good question!

Why Different Temperatures?

First off, temperature is a key factor to serving wine. You put thought into the glass you serve the wine in and the bottle you serve with dinner, so why wouldn’t you also consider the temperature? It’s just as important.

The Merlot with a high alcohol and robust flavors needs to be tempered a bit with a colder serving temperature. The colder serving temperature actually reduces the effect of alcohol on the palate and the warming effect that it causes. If you take a monster Merlot and serve it too warm it may seem flabby, overly-alcoholic, and burning. On the other hand, if you have a Merlot with very complex aromas and many layers of flavor, serving that wine too chilled will actually mute those nuances and delicate flavors, basically stripping you of the enjoyment the bottle had to offer. Try something around 62-64° for this type of wine.

Finally, the reason simple, straightforward Merlot is served at a variety of temperatures is because the Merlot is not complex and won’t change flavors as drastically as the other types of Merlot we talked about.

Finding Your Serving Temperature

It is not recommended that you take a bottle of your favorite Merlot, stick it in the fridge for a half-hour or so and take it out and pour yourself a glass. Write down what you taste then wait ten minutes and do it again. If you have a thermometer handy stick it in the glass and try drinking a sip every 3 degrees or so. Either way, you will notice a drastic change in perception of how that wine tastes and feels to you. You may find the “sweet spot” where it was just perfect! If you have a wine cellar, check to see if it’s dual-climate controlled. You may be able to keep wines at two different temperatures in the same cellar and be able to pull them out and drink them right away.

Have Fun!

Again, try exploring and experimenting with your favorite Merlot. Use the temperature guidelines laid out here as a tool and starting point for you to figure out where your wine fits into the temperature spectrum. But most of all have fun and enjoy the learning experience! Cheers!