Should Malbec Be Chilled? (Serving & Refrigeration Temperature)

by Philip Thompson
Updated on 04 July, 2024

Malbec should be chilled just below room temperature, just like all red wines.

Learn the specifics below:

Should Malbec Be Chilled?

Yes, Malbec should be chilled. Malbec should be served chilled between 15-18°C (55°–59°F) and stored long term below room temperature at 12-15°C (55°–59°F).

Best Serving Temperature for Malbec

The best serving temperature for Malbec is between 15-18°C (60-65°F), which is just below room temperature.

Red wine is not designed to be drank warm, as it was originally stored and served from a cold wine cellar or cave.

Best Storage Temperature for Malbec

The best temperature for storing Malbec is 12-15°C (55°–59°F). You can store Malbec in a wine cellar, wine fridge, or cabinet.

Avoiding alternate extremes of temperature is more important than exact temperature maintenance as liquid contraction and expansion are undesirable.

A wine cooler is designed to maintain the ideal conditions for long term wine storage, ideal for a collection.

How is Malbec Wine Best Served?

As Malbec wine is full-bodied, you should drink it from a wide-bowled glass to enjoy the powerful fruity aroma.

This type of glass eases the spicy taste and creates harmony with the savoury flavours.

Lastly, decanting is an asset to Malbec wine, pour it into your decanter half an hour before serving.

This prevents bottle sediment and aerates creating vivid aromas and flavours.

Drinking Malbec Wine

malbec wines

To drink Malbec, choose a medium-sized red wine glass to drink from, and hold it using the stem. This prevents heat from your hand warming the wine in the glass.

One glass should last you between ten minutes and half an hour. Take small sips.

You should never drink shots of Malbec wine.

Ice is undesirable as it dilutes the wine and spoils the bouquet.

Typically, low-quality and cheap drinks contain ice, drinking Malbec with ice offends the wine quality and in turn your host.

Serving and Drinking Malbec

Most occasions are suitable for serving Malbec, but they are popular at informal events. It's great as an aperitif before a meal or as an accompaniment to brunches, light lunches and barbecues.

Refrigeration of Malbec Once Opened

Cold temperatures cause slower oxidisation of wine.

Therefore, once open, you should replace the cork and store it in the wine fridge or other fridge.

If you dislike chilled red wine the bottle can be removed from the fridge approximately an hour before drinking.

Should Malbec be Allowed to Breathe?

Oxygen benefits Malbec by easing out coarseness and softening tannins, so you should let it breath. However if you prefer the flavour straight out of the bottle, there's no reason why you shouldn't drink it straight away.

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Conclusion

We hope you enjoyed our article on whether Malbec should be chilled.

If you have any questions, leave them in the comments, or email us at info@expertwinestorage.co.uk

You can browse more posts on Wine Types here.