So you've procrastinated and haven't picked out the wine for the evening, you finally decide on one (a red) and it's in the cellar at 55 degrees. How do you bring it up to the proper temperature in time for dinner? I'll admit, I've resorted to putting in a warm area such as the back of the range top when the oven is on, what do you do?

Nothing special. I just leave it (room temp) in the decanter or an open bottle (depends on the Wine) for some time. That's all.

I've never done it, but I've heard of people putting wine in the microwave for a few seconds to warm it up (presumably after removing the foil capsule, if any). My completely unscientific gut feeling is that microwaves would have some bad effect on wine, but I really don't know. My usual method is just to wait around until the wine warms up (maybe cupping the glass in my hand to help it along). Not very helpful, I guess.

I use the "reverse ice bucket" method. Place wine in bucket. Fill bucket with 80 degree water (give or take). 10 minutes usually does the trick, and the slow change won't hurt your wine.

My problem LCC, this time of year "room temperature" is about 60-64 in our house. We like it on the cool side, but it takes forever to get the vino up to a proper temp.

I like the idea of a inverse ice bucket!

Eric, you could always try to guess what you'd like to drink in the upcoming week and pull/stand up a few bottles that you've been itching to try and bring them all up to room temperature over several hours, intending of course to consume all bottles you do this to within the next week or so.

I had the same problem Eric. My solution was to raise the temperature in my vinotech to 60 degrees. At 60 degrees, wine will be just fine for a few years. Since nothing in my home cellar is designed for long term storage (or is just waiting to be transported to off-site), 60 degrees has for the most part solved the just pulled it out of the cellar problem.

I'm close to Jones. I keep my home unit at 57 degrees with a mix of reds & whites for shorter term consumption. Long term agers are in my offsite locker. At 57 degrees I can usually open the red and decant for a short period to bring them up in a short time or stick the whites in the fridge for a few minutes to bring them down just a hair.

I like to pour the wine into multiple glasses instead of decanting a bottle or pouring into one glass. If I plan to drink 2 glasses of red wine (the Lenox Tuscany can hold a lot), I just pour it into 2 glasses upon opening the bottle. It is similar to decanting, but the wine comes up to room temperature faster.

GATC:
That method works fine if the ambient temperature is at or above 70 F. But Eric's problem, (and mine too) is that "normal" household temperature is 64 F or below. Someone with a physics degree could calculate exactly how long it would take 750ml, or in the case of a single glass, 150ml to go from 55 F to 64 F in a 64 F house. But I can tell you anecdotally, it takes forever. The laws of equilibrium dictate that outside heat must be introduced to bring the wine up to temperature in a sane amount of time. Short of raising the thermostat and heating the whole house just to warm the wine, I find the safest and surest method for folks like me who live in a cool environment to be the reverse ice bucket.

JimmyV, thanks I missed that point because I've been to Eric's house and he lives very close to me. I never thought of his house as that cold. Alternate solution - drink mainly rieslings like me

Or turn up the temp in the house.

Eric, I'd like to know who you buy your coats and blankets from. Thinking about buying some of their stock.

Davidn -

As of this moment, the house has reached the balmy temperature of 59 degrees - should get up to about 65 by this evening. I guess Teri and I are both warm blooded, we like it on the cool side. Summers are another story however, we get pretty hot out here in the East Bay, and we give the AC a good workout to keep the house in the low 70s.

Eric,
Looks to me like your temperature problem disappears in the summertime

Yes, it does sound that way. But summer is when you want to start pulling out those rieslings. Eric, you are fighting a losing battle here.

Reverse ice bucket

Trying it today while preparing for Easter dinner, and it works beautifully! Thanks JimmyV!

And thanks right back 'atcha for posting on the Hundere Acre Cab. I would have been hesitant to drink this so soon, but it seems like the hot tub crowd really liked this last week. My wife and I loved it with Easter dinner. I've added my notes to your TN.