Should Shiraz Be Chilled?
Shiraz is a full bodied red that needs a good chill to taste its complex flavors. Serving it at room temperature emphasizes the taste of alcohol and bitterness, which comes from the grape tannins used to craft it. Chilling a full bodied red to at least 65 degrees is a good rule of thumb, but some can benefit from being as chilly as 55 degrees. Despite having a high tannin content, Shiraz is usually served warmer than most full reds.
Do You Serve Shiraz Warm or Cold?
Shiraz is recommended to be served at 63 to 65 degrees, much like a Merlot or Cabernet. Serving this wine too cold masks its rich flavors. The grapes used to make Shiraz wine have notes of mint, blackberry, and black pepper in moderate climates. Hotter climates tend to produce notes of licorice and earthy leather.
These flavors are harder to detect when serving it too warm or cold. If it’s served warmer than 65 degrees, the focal flavor becomes alcohol and the wine can taste dull. Some wines have a little flexibility with temperature, but Shiraz is a bit more delicate.
Should I Put Shiraz in the Fridge?
Refrigerators maintain a temperature of 40 degrees or colder, depending on your settings. Unfortunately, this is far too cold for a Shiraz wine, so don’t leave it for hours unless you have the time to let it warm up again. Other than that, there’s no reason not to put Shiraz wine in the fridge.
If you have leftover wine, the best place is the fridge because it slows down the chemical processes that make it turn sour. Replace the cork or cap and put the bottle in the fridge upright. Shiraz tends to last longer in the fridge than lighter reds, so enjoy it for up to 4 days.
What is the Best Way to Serve Shiraz?
The best way to serve Shiraz wine is around 65 degrees in a red wine glass. Traditional red wine glasses are perfectly fine to use, but there are wine glasses specifically for Shiraz. These glasses are tall with a slight taper at the top to emphasize the wine’s fruity notes. Your wine won’t be ruined without this speciality glass, however. Shiraz wine glasses were invented in the early 1990s, and people have been enjoying this type of wine for hundreds of years.
Pair Shiraz wine with hearty meals like beef stew, lamb, duck, or hamburgers. Char-grilled veggies and aged hard cheese are also complementary.
Summary
Shiraz should be chilled and served in a red wine glass to best discover all of its taste notes. You can put it in the fridge while cooking or place it on the dinner table in a bucket of ice. It’s a great full-bodied red wine to enjoy with everyday meals like meatloaf.
It also won’t go sour as quickly as some wines, for those who rarely go through a whole bottle in time. Lastly, Shiraz wine has some of the best ratings among red wines so it shouldn’t be passed up.
