Have you ever tasted a big, buttery Chardonnay at room temperature? If so, it probably tasted mostly like oak ­ the fruit taste was missing. If you've had it too cold, you've probably tasted nothing but acid ­ again, no fruit. In both cases, extreme temperature caused other components to overpower the fruit, and the wine was thrown out of balance. To truly experience a wine's aroma and flavor, it needs to be served at the right temperature.

Most white wines will chill to a good drinking temperature after one and a half to two hours in the refridgerator. If you need to cool it faster, an ice bucket filled with plenty of ice and water should do the trick in about half an hour. Sweet and sparkling wines should be served colder ­ leave in the ice bath for an additional 10 to 15 minutes.

Most reds, if cellered at 50-55°F, will need to be warmed. Ideally, you want your best red wines served at about 64°F. Remember though, that average room temperature is about 70°F ­ even warmer in hot kitchens ­ so use caution.

Standing red wine at room temperature for two to three hours, well away from heat sources like ovens and radiators, will warm them sufficiently. If time is of the essence, you can immerse the bottle in a bucket of warm water for several minutes.

The accompanying chart gives you suggested serving temperatures to maximize wines flavor. But they¹'e by no means the final word ­ so experiment and see what you like. Who knows ­ you might prefer your big, buttery Chardonnay at exactly room temperature.