At what temperature should it be served?
Temperatura: tem-peh-rah-TOO-rah. Stress on the fourth syllable. A long but regular Italian word.
Ask when buying a bottle to take home, or when curious about why a particular wine is served at a specific temperature. Getting this right dramatically affects how the wine tastes.
A che temperatura means 'at what temperature'. Va servito is the impersonal passive — 'should be served'. A very practical question for anyone buying Italian wine.
Va messo in frigo prima di aprirlo?
Should it be put in the fridge before opening?
Practical home question.
I rossi vanno serviti a temperatura ambiente?
Are reds served at room temperature?
'Room temperature' means 16-18°C in a cellar — not a warm apartment.
Quanto tempo va in frigo il bianco?
How long should the white be in the fridge?
Whites typically need 2-3 hours in a fridge.
The Italian habit of opening red wine well in advance — or decanting it — is not a ritual but a practical necessity. Young Barolo, Brunello, and Amarone have powerful tannins that need oxygen to open up. Italian winemakers sometimes open bottles a day before a formal dinner.