As temperatures rise, the preferences of many wine drinkers change. It usually starts around Easter and is in full effect by Memorial Day. This is when many wine drinkers cut back on their red wine and reach for the light, white, and refreshing. I have a name for these months: “Porch Pounder Season.” Trust me, it’s not derogatory. As temperatures heat up the human body naturally craves something lighter and refreshing. While I understand this, my wine tastes do not necessarily change with the temperature. Am I wrong to seek a silky red, while others in the 86-degree afternoon heat enjoy a refreshing white? Could I be missing something, or are many wine lovers inadvertently doing something wrong?
This is not the first time that I have covered the “Porch Pounder.” As a quick refresher, a porch pounder is a wine that you find refreshing and could drink a lot of. Those wines tend to be lighter in body and higher in acidity, with roughly equal notes of fruit and minerality on the palate. Examples range from wines made with Pinot Gris or Sauvignon Blanc, to Albarińo. Many Rosé wines are made with the sole intention of being refreshing and are great porch pounders. Yet the biggest reason these wines are refreshing is because they are served cold. Drink any of these at room temperature, say 72 degrees, and I doubt you get the same level of refreshing
enjoyment.
We also need to define “cold.” Cold in the world of wine is generally defined as 45-55 degrees Fahrenheit. I like most white wines closer to 45F and my Rosé closer to 55F. Now, let’s go back to the idea of me missing something as I reach for a glass of Malbec on that 86-degree evening. There is something about the term “room temperature” that can be quite misleading.
Many people hear room temperature, assuming it means a room they are in. Room temperature in wine is 60-68F. However, there are two very important things to keep in mind: First, red wines are divided into two temperature categories. Lighter to medium bodied reds are in category one, while full-bodied reds are in category two. Room temperature only applies to full-bodied, category two wine. Category one wines are to be served at cellar temperature of 55-60F. I consider the transition from category one to category two wines to be around Sangiovese/GSM Blends/Tempranillo. Wines lighter than those are category one, wines fuller will be category two.
Second, and this applies to all wines, don’t serve a wine at the top end of its temperature range when it’s hot outside. You pour that refreshing 55-degree Rosé into an 86-degree glass, it is not going to stay at 55 degrees! Start with the wine at the cold side of its range.
But rule number one of wine is this: do not serve hot wine! As our spring rapidly turns into summer, I challenge you to try your favorite Cabernet Sauvignon at 60F on one of those first warmer evenings outside. If you want a really good time, find a nice Merlot and go from bottle to glass to mouth with it at 55F! Here’s a tip: open the bottle and then put it in your fridge to let it breathe until it gets to 55F. If you have a wine fridge, open the bottle and place it back in for two hours at 55F. You just might find a few more Porch Pounders. Cheers to that!
The best Porch Pounders tend to be lighter in body and higher in acidity, with roughly equal
notes of fruit and minerality on the palate.