What the Heck Do We Serve at Our Wedding?

It seems conveniently appropriate that I’m writing a blog post about wedding wines while recovering from a friend’s Bachelorette party last weekend in Nashville. I was already planning on addressing this topic long before the weekend of pre-wedding debauchery ensued, but now it seems even more logical as I’ve been recently reminded about the traditions and festivities of forthcoming nuptials. It’s only been 14 months since I celebrated my own wedding reception, but now I’m fresh with excitement as my friends approach their own celebrations.

Not surprisingly, a significant aspect of our wedding reception planning process was deciding which wines we would be serving to our guests. Not only does my entire immediate family have a not-so-subtle reputation for being wine nerds, but I was also getting married only one year after stepping down from my position as tasting room manager at a winery in Virginia at which I had assisted in providing wine for 40+ weddings.

We facilitated a lot of wedding wine at Cross Keys Vineyards in Virginia 

Essentially, I had a bit of a reputation to uphold (no pressure?) but I also wanted the wine choices to be a memorable component of our wedding celebrations for our guests. Unless you are a wine nerd, however, the latter is not a typical aspiration for most people planning their weddings. But regardless of how emotionally connected you will be to the choices of the wines themselves, selecting what to serve will likely be an aspect that needs to be addressed. Furthermore, most people have never needed to serve wine to 100+ people in one night, so it’s not surprising that several of my friends and colleagues have recently asked me for advice while they are approaching this somewhat daunting task.

I’m hoping this post provides brides-and-grooms-to-be and their families with a little inspiration to tackle the wedding wine selection process. To offer some additional insight, I contacted a few industry colleagues in the Atlanta area to also comment on this topic with professional advice which is featured below.

Wine was so important that it was also used as centerpiece decorations for our reception.

For me, it helped to set a few guiding principles before embarking on my decision process:

1) Find a balance between the cost and the quality of the vinos so that selections won't bust the cap on a budget.

2) Be mindful of the fact that within a crowd of 130+ guests there is a guaranteed diversity of palates and preferences.

3) Make sure my father and fiancé also like/approve the wines.

4) Provide a selection of flavors and acidity to compliment the southern comfort food being served on the buffet.

5) Showcase regions or countries which encompass some sort of sentimental significance to me and my fiancé.

Main goal = please the crowd with palate-friendly vino. 

Setting these goals made me realize that I wanted to focus my attention not so much on the prestige or the popularity of a label but rather on the crowd-pleasing impact of the wines. And so, with a mission accepted, we began the 6 month tasting escapade searching for our coveted “wedding wines”. My father became my sidekick and consultant – we texted wine labels to each other with “you need to try this” captions; we bounced ideas back and forth about flavor profiles; and we even conducted a blind tasting experiment with our family to do unofficial research on their palate preferences. After months of investigating prices, visiting wine shops, and pairing food, we came up with a few key characteristics of our desired wines:

1) Easy-drinking
2) Fairly fruit-forward
3) Smooth tannins
4) Reasonably priced
5)  2 reds, 2 whites, 1 bubbly

Now the fun part – narrowing it down aka taste, taste, taste. We started by picking wines from places or regions to which either I or the family had visited that now had sentimental significance (California, Washington, Oregon, Argentina) and then aimed for two reds (a bold/oaky and a smooth/fruity) and two whites (a crisp/acidic and a fruit/off-dry). For the bubbly, we wanted something neither too sweet nor too dry so it could be enjoyed by almost everyone in attendance during speeches and toasting at the reception. We also decided that we would be serving a selection of four domestic beers and a liquor of choice – bourbon (in honor of the groom, of course) - to

supplement our wines and round out the bar.

We asked guests to write notes for wine bottles representing anniversary years 

NOTE: We had the flexibility to work with our caterer and bartender team directly choosing our
wines – this is not always the case depending on the catering company or the venue. We were able to customize our wines aside from their standard “house” selections as long as our wines could be purchased at their preferred vendor, Total Wine. It’s important to clarify how much personalization is
even possible before you start worrying about making selections because some venues/caterers already have a pre-set menu that is provided to their contractors (clients could only serve our
winery’s wines at their weddings, for example). Additionally, some vendors may already have suggestions for what wines they carry will pair best with the food they are serving. If you’re not constrained by a vendor nor through a catering company, however, then just make sure you are legally able to buy/serve at your selected wedding venue...because ain’t nobody got time for fines on their wedding day.

The Magnolia Plantation in Charleston, SC and our caterer, The Crazy Dutchman, allowed us to personalize 

So after all the planning, tasting, and consulting…we announced our hand-selected Wedding Wines:

1) Chateau Ste Michelle Riesling – not too sweet, not too dry, and a “crowd-pleaser” in every sense of the word because even people who say “I don’t drink wine” will like it. It paired perfectly with the fried chicken, and it brought back memories of touring their winery with my dad the Thanksgiving
before the wedding.

2) Maipe Chakana Torrontes – more full-flavored than the Riesling, slightly more acidity, and an ode to my time spent studying aboard in Argentina. The aromatics of peach and apricot paired well with the roasted vegetables and shrimp ‘n’ grits.

3) Sterling Vintners Meritage – the smooth, easy-drinking red Bordeaux blend from California paid tribute to all of our family visits to Napa/Sonoma. It paired with everything! A blend is typically a good bet for serving to folks who may not normally choose red wines.

4) Trapiche Malbec Oak Cask – full-bodied, oaky, smoky, deep dark red to pair with our lasagna…I drank this the whole night which also led me to having wine lips and teeth by the end of the evening (oops?) #sorrynotsorry

5) BUBBLY: Cristalino Brut Cava – an all-around middle-of-the-road sweetness for everyone to enjoy at a super affordable price

So now for more insight...

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Katie Spain of d’Vine Wine Bar & Shop in Dunwoody, Georgia writes...:

The one thing I would recommend throughout everything is that simplicity is key. In choosing how many wines to serve vs beers vs cocktails, again simplicity! You don’t want to overwhelm guests in their choices, and offering only a small selection will help keep cost manageable. I would say no more than one sparkling wine, two whites, and two reds. I would make sure the sparkling is light and easy-going so that everyone can enjoy it. Same goes for the whites and reds - you want to try and keep everyone happy, which means typically going one light and one heavy with no extremes. Another thing to always be mindful of is that it’s the bride and groom's day, and that while you want
to please your guests, make sure you choose things that you’ll enjoy! Or you can always also choose to have your own wines, that you love, off to the side.For actual wines themselves, I’m going to give you two different examples of each type that I would recommend. One thing that I love about us at d’Vine is that Bob [the owner] and I strive to find amazing, fun alternatives and classic examples of all different wines that are all very cost effective. On top of that, we also offer discounts on full case purchases (10% off with a credit card, or %12 off with cash).

Our recommendations...

Sparkling:

1) Veuve du Vernay Sparkling Brut – France $10.99

Pale straw in color, fresh, fruity, and floral on the nose. The palate is full with delicate apple and pear fruit flavors complimented by smooth velvety bubbles.

2) Cleto Chiarli Sparkling Rosé- Italy $15.99

From the oldest producer in all of the Emilia-Romagna DOC (Chiarli was founded in 1860). a sparkling rosé bearing a purity of red fruit ranging from bright red currants and strawberries to bright and brambly fruits of the forest. Chiarli’s Brut de Noir Rosé has a lovely creamy texture and bears remarkably fine and persistent bubbles.  [One of her ABSOLUTE favorites and she is personally serving it at her own wedding.]

White:

1) Aveleda Vinho Verde- Portugal  $10.99

Vinho Verde, or “green wine”, is so-named because it is a young wine crafted for immediate consumption.  It is a Portuguese light, fruity wine.  This wine is fresh and crisp with a small touch of effervescence. We use this wine in a large portion of the parties we host here! It’s a real crowd pleaser!

2) Sean Minor 4 Bears Sauvignon Blanc- California $13.99

This Sauvignon Blanc is a golden straw color and displays aromas of lime, melon, grass and a touch of passion fruit notes. On the entry, the juicy grapefruit acidity integrates well with a medium body mid palate mouth feel.  The kiwi, green apple and peach flavors evolve into a hint of minerality that adds complexity to the finish.

3) BackStory Chardonnay-California $9.99

This Chardonnay is made with grapes from California’s best growing areas. It is a crisp wine with citrus notes, a fuller-bodied buttery undertone, complimented with a smooth finish.  Pair with milder cheeses, fish, and dishes with creamy butter sauces.

4) Chateau Roustan Blanc- France $10.99

This white table wine is from Costiѐres de Nîmes in the Rhone Valley in France.  It is made from 60% Roussanne, 20% Grenache Blanc, and 20% Viognier.  This wine is dry, with an aromatic toasty nose and hints of peach on the palate.  Pairs well with salmon, poultry and salads. This is a great choice if you are not a Chardonnay lover because it will please you with the great fruit forwardness, but it is also pleasing to Chardonnay lovers with its slight buttery finish.

Light Red:

1) Scarlet of Paris Pinot Noir- France $10.99

A wonderful Pinot Noir with great fruit flavors.  A sleek wine with raspberry, cherry, and plum undertones. This wine is silky, flavorful, and complete.  From the Languedoc region, Southern France.

2) Ottone 1 Barbera- Italy $13.99

100% pure Barbera grapes from the Piedmont region of Northern Italy, this medium to full bodied red is simply bursting with big fruit flavors.  Ruby red in color with a soft-but-sound nose including black raspberry, raspberry, cherry, and hints of strawberry. This wine has a rounded body and is filled with luscious cherry, berry, and even dark jam flavors.  The finish, though not too long, is crisp and pleasing.

Heavier Red:

1) Cypress Cabernet Sauvignon- California $10.99

The 2013 Cypress Vineyards Cabernet is dark purple in the glass with a youthful red hue. The aroma is an attractive mix of ripe black cherry and plum, with a bouquet of vanilla, black tea and smoky cedar. Round on the palate with a dark-fruit impression, this Cabernet Sauvignon is serious enough for the connoisseur, yet a good choice for anyone who simply enjoys a good glass of red wine.


2) 6th Sense Syrah-California $15.99 (A little pricier but well worth it!)

At first whiff, you’ll take in ripe dark plum with just a hint of pepper and toffee notes. Rich, juicy, fruit come on with a mid-palate of Christmas cake. This wine shows depth, focus, and a nice spicy finish.

These are all wines that I’ve used in the past that go over extremely well with crowds. I tried to make sure I recommended at least one wine in each spectrum. There will, of course, be those one or two people who want a Malbec, or Merlot, even a Zinfandel. However, it will be impossible to please everyone. Your best choice will be to pick wine that will please the masses and yourselves. While I personally feel that wine is important, not everyone does, and a wedding at the end of the day is a joyous, loving affair about the couple coming together!...but it doesn’t hurt to have great wines!

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A friend and sales consultant for a well-established large distributor in the Atlanta metro area writes:

It’s tough to give suggestions on wedding wines because it all depends on the venue and what they offer. I’ve worked with some venues that will order anything, where others are so strict on what’s “available”.

If the venue allows anything to be served, I like the following wines for crowds:

Spring/Summer Wines – heavy on the whites & roses (about 70%)

1) Raventos I Blanc - One of the finest sparkling wines in the world! Also very reasonably priced.

2) Quinta de Aveleda Vinho Verde - Tame and yet has interesting flavors.

3) Zenato Pinot Grigio - Tell me someone who hates Pinot Grigio? Nobody. They may not love them, but nobody hates them.

4) Lois Gruner Veltliner - this varietal tends to be a crowd pleaser. Great balance of acidity, pepper and great texture.

5) Lawson Dry Hills Sauvignon Blanc - Crisp, light, and refreshing

6) Bieler Rose - Love me some rose in the spring!

7) Mossback Central Coast Pinot Noir - Central Coast tends to be lighter bodied

8) Brutocao “Quadriga” Red Blend - This is a single vineyard wine from Mendocino for under $20 retail!!!

9) Noble Tree Sonoma Cabernet - This is a steal for the cost.

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Thanks to the two industry colleagues for their recommendations and insight! Cheers to many happy weddings.



Wedding photography credit: Studio 519 Atlanta Photography