Red wine serving temperature
Barello is a home cellar and bar app that tells you what to open tonight, what to keep, and what you can mix from what you have. Serve a full-bodied red at 59 to 64°F (15 to 18°C) and a light-bodied red lightly chilled, at 55°F (13°C). Those are WSET's figures.
Reds, by body
| Wine | Serve at |
|---|---|
| Light red Light-bodied red: lightly chilled | 55°F (13°C) |
| Full red Medium and full-bodied red: room temperature | 59 to 64°F (15 to 18°C) |
Serving temperatures from WSET's serving chart, read 6 October 2026. These are serving conventions, not Barello's model: Barello's numbers are the storage half.
Should red wine be chilled?
A light-bodied red, yes, lightly: WSET puts it at 55°F (13°C), cooler than a cupboard. A full-bodied red, no, but it shouldn't be warm either. Above 64°F (18°C), WSET says a red can lose its freshness and its structure turns muddled. Too cold, and it tastes thin and harsh.
Room temperature is warmer than you think
"Serve reds at room temperature" hasn't kept up with central heating. The dictionary's room temperature is 68°F (20°C); the room temperature meant for red wine is 59 to 64°F (15 to 18°C).
Where you live decides how far off that is. On a shelf in Melbourne a bottle sits at about 71°F (21.5°C), and in Sydney about 76°F (24.5°C), by Barello's storage model. Both are warmer than 64°F (18°C), so a red kept in the room wants a little time in the fridge before you pour.
If a red comes out too cold, hold the bowl of the glass in your hands. Don't stand the bottle near a heater: sudden heat can damage it for good.
More on temperature
The full chart is on wine temperature. Whites, rosé and sparkling are on their own page, and the wine fridge setting covers keeping them.