My usual MO for white wine is to put it in the refrigerator for at least a few hours, then pop, pour and drink. I’ll often return the bottle to the fridge between glasses. I am becoming convinced that as refreshing and drinkable as some white wines are right out of the fridge, the better ones benefit from a period of time to come back from the cold storage. The flavor profile develops and the wine can reveal all kinds of secrets that were hidden by the cold temperature. A bit similar to what happens to some red wines with aeration.
Maybe an “of course!” observation for many, but this is an “Aha!” observation for me.
Your revelation is correct! Fridge temp is 40F, which is way too cold to drink. Something around 50F is much better. Colder than that and the acidity really dominates. That’s why they taste so crisp.
Of course, in a glass, the wine warms up very quickly—particularly in warm weather. So it makes sense to pop the bottle back in the fridge if it’s warm. But it’s usually a good idea to take the bottle out of the fridge for a while before serving.
Agree with you Jim. Most whites in my experience show best around 50-60 degrees. That’s a wide range and it depends on the wine, but very few show best at refrigerator temperature. I do put Champagne in the fridge to make opening easier, then let it warm up a bit before drinking. And starting cooler is helpful in warm weather as the wine warms quickly in the glass.