Picking the right wine for your wedding should not be too difficult. Some hotels insist that you pour their wines so your choice may be limited. But whether you are supplying your own wine or using hotel wines, the same principles apply .
Go for wines that are not too high in alcohol , or in the case of red wines, not too tannic either. You are looking for a crowd-pleasing, easy-drinking white, red and sparkling wine – and possibly a rosé too? Depending on your guests, you might want to serve a cocktail – or even a selection of canned cocktails?
Sparkling wines are generally low in alcohol, so choose from prosecco, cava, crémant, or Champagne, depending on your budget. Champagne is generally pricey and Prosecco the least expensive. You could use the first two for a cocktail – lessening the alcohol further – a bellini, buck’s fizz, or mimosa will all be appreciated on a sunny day. An Aperol spritz is favoured by many, but make sure it is made in a lighter style.
For your white wine , choose from albariño, sauvignon blanc, pinot grigio, riesling, soave, grillo, muscadet, South African chenin blanc, or Picpoul de Pinet. All of these are unoaked and 13.5 per cent alcohol by volume or less.
With red wines , think of Valpolicella, Beaujolais, pinot noir, merlot, Rioja joven or crianza. Check the alcohol level before you buy; you do not want a huge, big 14.5 per cent wine. It is a good idea to try the wines first. If you like it, chances are your friends and family will too.
Rosé is very popular , especially on a sunny day. It doesn’t have to cost a fortune. There are some very good inexpensive pink wines from Provence, but just about every region produces one these days.
In my experience, at most weddings, there is a huge amount of waiting around while the happy couple are photographed in multiple locations. Then the relations have to be assembled, some of whom may have found their way to the bar. At this stage, it is important to have plenty of low-alcohol drinks available.
Remember that not all of your guests will be drinking alcohol. As well as plenty of water, make sure you have a mocktail, alcohol-free sparkling wine, and low/no beer.
If you are getting married in a hotel, try to negotiate on price, but remember that most hotels work on very high margins. If you are supplying the wine and buying from a wine shop, ask for sale or return. Allow for half a bottle to a full bottle per person, usually 60 per cent white and 40 per cent red, although rosé will change that. This may seem a lot, but your guests will be there a long time. It is better to have too much rather than too little. After all, you can always keep the leftovers for your first anniversary party!