Should You Chill Merlot Before Drinking It?

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In the past, the advice was to serve red wines at room temperature, but at 70 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit, that's a little too warm. Red wine is actually best served chilled, and when it comes to merlot, a medium- to fuller-bodied red wine, those rich, plush tannins and dark fruit flavors taste best between 60 and 65 degrees Fahrenheit. 

If the wine is too warm, you'll taste more of the alcohol and less of the fruit and spice on your palate. But that doesn't mean every bottle should be stored in your refrigerator until you're ready to drink it, either. Chilled much colder than 60 to 65 degrees, merlot's flavors can become muted. A regular refrigerator is much colder than you need, as most fridges are set to around 37 degrees. Instead, experts advise you to use the 20-minute rule: Stick a bottle of merlot in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes before serving to get it closer to the ideal serving temperature. Just don't be tempted to put your wine in the freezer. Bad things could happen if you forget about it!

If you have a wine fridge, that'll also get the wine down to an optimal storage temperature of 55 degrees. But that's still a little chillier than ideal. In that case, just do the reverse. Take it out of the wine fridge and let it sit on the counter for 20 or so minutes before serving.

So what if you don't want to wait 20 minutes for your wine to chill? Serious Eats found that the fastest way to chill a wine is to put it in an ice bath with salt and spin it every couple of minutes. That'll chill your merlot in a matter of minutes. In fact, check it frequently to avoid overchilling. 

But let's talk about the elephant in the room. Can you add ice to your merlot? It's a bit taboo in some circles, but it's your life (and your wine). That said, putting ice in wine dilutes the flavor and aroma. But if you insist (don't worry — we won't tell), there's a product you need to invest in. Try tossing in a few reusable ice cubes or whiskey stones made of a nonporous material like stainless steel or soapstone. They'll cool merlot down quickly without adding extra water. Or if you like it, you can just drink it at room temperature. Ultimately, the best serving temperature is the one you'll enjoy most.