Gourmet Retailer Magazine Personnel Trainer 2008 - (Page 32) WINE CHILLERS magine company stops by unexpected. It’s a long-lost friend and you want to provide the best. You have a beautiful bottle of white Burgundy you’d like to share. But, alas, it’s not chilled. What to do? Since temperature plays a central role in the serving of wines, having the right tools to be sure your wine is perfect for service is critical. Here are some basic tips to be sure you are well-equipped, including the use of wine chillers. I l Why is temperature important with wine? Wine is a perishable product. Storing a fine wine at 100° will cause it to lose its flavor, while storing it at 0° will cause as much damage. The trick with wine is to store it at a stable, ideal temperature, and then to serve it at the temperature which best shows off its personal characteristics. If you serve a wine too cool, the flavors will all be hidden. If you serve a wine too warm, all you can taste is the alcohol. Temperature plays a central role in fine-quality wine because the serving temperature greatly affects the taste and the nose of the wine. The ideal serving and drinking temperature varies according to the type of wine selected. Whites, rosés, champagne and sparkling wines should be served chilled, while reds taste best served at “cellar” temperature (around 55-65° Fahrenheit) to embellish the flavors and natural aromas. should encounter little or no vibration before serving, since Suggested Wine Temperatures Wine Serving Temperature Guidelines Temp F Temp C Notes l Why do I need a wine chiller? More wine is ruined by being too warm than too cold. A wine that is served too cold is easily warmed, but a wine served too warm can be difficult to chill. Therefore, when in doubt, serve it colder than you might think necessary. A wine that is too warm tastes alcoholy and is not a pleasure to drink. In general, white wines are served cooler than red wines. A high-quality wine chiller should have the technology, capacity and performance to ensure that each bottle served is as good as the last. Using a wine chiller will help consumers to serve wine like a professional sommelier. 66° 64° 63° 61° 59° 57° 55° 54° 52° 48° 47° 45° 43° 41° 19° 18° 17° 16° 15° 14° 13° 12° 11° 9° 8° 7° 6° 5° Vintage Port Bordeaux, Shiraz Red Burgundy, Cabernet Rioja, Pinot Noir Chianti, Zinfandel Tawny/NV Port, Madeira Ideal storage for all wines Beaujolais, Rose Viognier, Sauternes Chardonnay Riesling Champagne Ice Wines Asti Spumanti l What should I look for in a wine chiller? Look for wine chillers with built-in libraries of preset wine temperatures for cooling white, red, Champagne and sparkling wines. Other important attributes include internal CPU controls that ensure the programmed temperature is accurately maintained and an audible acknowledgment signaling that the desired temperature has been reached. Depending on your needs, there are wine chillers that can hold more than one bottle at a time. Be sure to look for units that can accommodate a variety of bottle sizes. Wine movement can have a negative effect on the quality of the wine; so look for units that operate without the use of a compressor, eliminating vibration and noise. 72 The Gourmet Retailer Magazine | February 2008
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