White wine is the perfect antidote to a warm summer's day, a drink as crisp as it is refreshing.
But how cold should you serve white wine?
And does all white wine need to be chilled?
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Should White Wine Be Chilled?
Yes, white wine should be chilled, the best temperature to serve white wine is between 43–52°F or 6-11°C and the best storage temperature is between 11°C and 15℃ (51–59°F).
| White Wine | Temperature (°C) | Temperature (°F) |
|---|---|---|
| Serving Temperature | 6-11°C | 43–52°F |
| Storage Temperature | 11-15°C | 51–59°F |
White wines tend to have lots of searing acidity and aromatic aromas that prefer a colder temperature in comparison to red wines.
Temperature makes a huge impact on the flavours of your white wine, so once your white wine has reached your preferred temperature and you’re ready to serve, try and use a wine cooler to help maintain that temperature.
But not all white wines are the same, and some styles of white wine may prefer slightly different serving temperatures.
So what effect does style have on the serving temperature of white wine?
3 Popular Styles of White Wine and Their Ideal Serving Temperature
In order to help you reach the best serving temperature for your white wine, here's a little breakdown of the three main styles of white wine and the serving temperatures they prefer.
1. Light Bodied White Wine
Pinot Grigio, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc and even some unoaked styles of Chardonnay fall into this category.
Their lighter nature means they can handle being served well chilled, aiming for between 47–50°F or 8-10°C.
2. Full Bodied White Wine
Fuller-bodied and bolder styles of white wine can be served slightly warmer.
So try and serve wines such as Chablis, Viognier or Oaked Chardonnay a few degrees warmer, around 50–54°F or 10-12°C.
Remember you can always put your bottle back in the fridge if it gets too warm for your liking!
3. Sparkling White Wine
Sparkling wines, such as Champagne, Cava and Prosecco, like to be served very cold, it helps to accentuate their flavours as well as keep their coveted fizziness in check.
Aim for between 47–50°F or 8-10°C for serving sparkling wines.
| White Wine Type | Recommended Serving Temperature (°C) | Recommended Serving Temperature (°F) |
|---|---|---|
| Light Bodied White Wine | 8-10°C | 47–50°F |
| Full Bodied White Wine | 10-12°C | 50–54°F |
| Sparkling White Wine | 8-10°C | 47–50°F |
So that’s serving temperature sorted, but what are the best storage temperatures for white wine?
What is the Best Storage Temperature for White Wine?
The best temperature to store White Wine is between 11°C and 15℃ (51–59°F).
When it comes to storing your wine, try to maintain a good level of humidity and avoid direct sunlight with your bottles where you can.
If you don’t have a wine cellar, your garage or kitchen pantry is often a good place to store your wine.
Related: How To Store White Wine
But can white wine go in the fridge?
Should You Put White Wine In The Fridge?
Depending on the style, white wine should be chilled down to 47–54°F or 8-12°C before serving.
So, when it comes to getting your white wine ready to serve, it’s actually recommended that you place them in the fridge to reach the required temperature.
If you want to make sure that you are consistently serving your white wine at the best temperature possible you may want to consider investing in a specialised wine refrigerator.
So how long should you put white wine in the fridge?
How Long Should You Chill White Wine For?
If you have a specialist wine fridge the conditions will have been designed to look after your wine at a stable temperature.
This means that you can leave your bottles in there for long periods of time without having to worry about them getting too cold.
However, if you have a domestic refrigerator the drier conditions may damage any corks, so it’s best to store your white wine elsewhere.
Related: How Long Does White Wine Last In The Fridge?
Just be sure to place the wine in the fridge a 1-2 hours before serving and your white wine will be perfectly chilled in no time.
Here are some of our top tips on serving white wine:
5 Tips on Serving White Wine
- White wines like to be served cold, try and serve any lighter bodied and sparkling styles of white wine very chilled (47–50°F or 8-10°C)
- Fuller bodied styles of white wine, such as oaked Chardonnay and Viognier can be served slightly warmer (50–54°F or 10-12°C)
- Wine coolers can be used to help maintain the temperature of your white wine in between serving.
- You don’t have to keep your white wine in the fridge, long term. Instead look for somewhere cool and calm with minimal disturbances.
- Store your white wine at cellar temperatures, between 11°C and 15℃ (51–59°F).
Before You Go... 
We hope you enjoyed our article on whether White Wine should be chilled.
Do you need to know how to chill red wines correctly?
Read our next article about chilling red wines correctly here...
Should Red Wine Be Chilled? (Full Guide)
If you have any questions, leave them in the comments, or email us at info@expertwinestorage.co.uk
Learn more about other Wine Types here.
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