What would you do if you ordered a red wine in a restaurant and it came to the table chilled?

Question

I ordered a glass of Cedar Creek Pinot Noir at lunch today and it was served chilled. The wine was quite nice and as it warmed even better. Once before I ordered a bottle of Beaujolais and it was served cold. We asked for a decanter and asked why it was chilled. The manager said as it was a Rose' it should be served chilled. My problem is if you work for or manage a restaurant shouldn't you get it right.

People I manage a fine wine and spirits shop. I know both of these wines and they should not be served cold. Cellar temp. slightly colder than room temp yes, but not right out of the fridge. If I had complained that My chicken was underdone, every body would be on my side but because I'm complaining about wine I'm a snob. you're idiots.

Answer 1

Send it back and demand that a manager come to the table. There is no excuse whatsoever for improper wine service. If they can get it right at major family restaurant chains ( and you know the many many chains of which I speak ), then they can get it right at a business where they serve the 'good' stuff. I suggest that you do not do business at this locale in the future.

I am also in the biz. I am a bartender, server, etc. I know my stuff too.

Answer 2

Sipping it is like eating ripe fruit, and that's what Beaujolais is all about. Like most Beaujolais, it's refreshing served cool (but not ice-cold) so it benefits from 30 to 60 minutes in the fridge before dinner.


Dry, more flavorful and served slightly chilled

Light red wines such as Beaujolais and inexpensive Pinot Noir are found in this group of wines. They are dry wines and have stronger flavors than the white wines in the previous category. They are served slightly chilled but not cold. These wines do not have the tannins that are to be found in the next group. They match up well with grilled fish and poultry because they often have higher acid levels than most red wines.

Merlot & Cabernet should be served at cellar temperature or room temperature, although some people do prefer them also slightly chilled.

Answer 3

I agree with you, but it really depends what kind of restaurant you were in I think... while it is true reds are served mostly at room temp, lighter reds are generally best when served at 55° - 60° F, and if you enjoy your beverages cooler, it's OK to add an ice cube. Maybe that's why so many establishments serve it chilled.

Bigger reds such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Nebbiolo from Italy, Shiraz from Australia, Rioja Reservas from Spain, Rhône wines, more expensive Burgundy and Bordeaux wines, are best when served at 60°-65° F, and definitely without cubes.

Lighter-bodied reds like Beaujolais, which also happen to be light on the pocketbook, are great "hamburger" wines. Hence the assumption maybe?

Not making excuses...just throwing an opinion out there.

:) I need a glass of wine now! Hah!

Answer 4

I managed a wine shop for quite some time, and yes red wine should be lightly chilled. The lighter the varietel the cooler it should be. It is interesting o taste the nuances of change in the wine from opening to finishing. The taste changes with temperature and oxidation.

I usually only decant very big wines or very old wines. Never a beaujolais.

Answer 5

All wine should have some chill on it. About 62 degrees for red, 58 for white. The Rose should be chilled, like he told you. He was correct, sorry!

Answer 6

Red wines should be served slightly below a comfortable room temperature.

Answer 7

properly, you ought to drink your wine in spite of if it tastes /smells ultimate to you. a lot of human beings for my area drink reds too heat and whites too chilly to get the excitement they could in any different case get from them. in case you're thinking in terms of what's seen "superb" in accordance to oenologists, that's o.k. to (extremely) relax reds. I easily have achieved so. You point out that that's warm outdoors now and the wine is in simple terms too heat - -so so you might understand that a guideline of "room temperature" does no longer mean over 80 ranges F (or maybe over 70). The wine if status out on a warm day gets variety of "flabby", it is going to truly be greater effective for a sprint chilling. on the different hand, over-chilling any wine decreases the two the style and the scent (the "bouquet" in wine language, which for me that's many of the allure of wine.) Any wine that's extremely greater effective ice chilly once you are able to not often scent or style that's no longer stable wine to start with. that's advantageous in case you in user-friendly terms want a low fee chilly alcoholic drink, yet once you have have been given a great bottle.... ....As a many times used Rule ..... 15C 60F : maximum reds 10C/ 50F : finished bodied whites like the extremely vast white burgundies (chardonnay), for some wealthy dessert wines like Sauternes AND for easy reds like Beaujolais (gamay) or some lighter crimson burgundies (pinot noir) 7C / 45F: maximum whites - meaning lighter bodied whites like White Bordeaux / Sauvignon Blanc /Semillon; Chenin Blanc; Riesling, and for easy Chardonnays like Chablis. and poo. I in user-friendly terms understand French wine very lots so as that's examples i take advantage of.

Answer 8

Different restraunts are going to be different in opinion of how things 'should be'. Just be specific when ordering. The customer is always right, and if the waiter gives you grief for it, make sure to comment louder that your preference has been made clear, and ask if the restraunt is unable to satisfy you. That should do the trick!

Answer 9

If I got chilled wine I would open up a full auto and machine gun everyone in sight!!!

Good thing I don't drink wine Huh!

Isn't supposed to be cold my boones farm is LOL!!

Answer 10

I've had this happen, and I figure they know more than I do. They usually go to school for that. If you don't want it chilled just wait until it warms up.