All rights reserved 1997 - Current Please link back to our site if you use one of our articles - Privacy Information
Sharing Simple Pleasures and Extravagant Finds in New England & Beyond
Custom Search
All rights reserved 1997 - Current Date - Please link back to us if you use an article or photo
Selecting Wine For Your Wedding or Wedding Rehersal Dinner
You’ve sent the wedding invitations, booked the band and ordered the cake. Now how do you choose which wines to serve at your wedding?
“Toasting with wine to your new life together is a great way to celebrate a marriage—so don’t let the decision be grounds for divorce” says Natalie MacLean, author of Red, White and Drunk All Over: A Wine-Soaked Journey from Grape to Glass. “With so many wine regions and producers today, it’s easy to find delicious bottles within any budget.”
Here are Natalie’s top five tips for choosing wedding wines:
1. Calculate your quantity. The average guest consumes about one to two drinks per hour. A bottle of wine contains about four drinks and a bottle of bubbly has five.
2. Match the meal to your wine. Choose versatile wines that are food-friendly and appeal to many palates. The best choices are neither too light nor too heavy. For white wines, try Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grisgio; for reds, Gamay, Pinot Noir or Merlot. For specific brands, visit: www.nataliemaclean.com/wine_picks.
3. Celebrate your history. Personalize your wine choice: pick those made in the country where you (or your ancestors) were born, or perhaps where you met your partner.
4. Offer a mixed bar. Not everyone drinks wine, so offer popular spirits such as gin, rum, scotch and vodka. For non-alcoholic drinks, offer fruit punch, juice, soda or sparkling water. A signature cocktail, created for your wedding, is also a great idea.
5. Raise a glass of liquid pearls. Champagne from France isn’t the only bubbly suitable for your wedding toast. Look for sparkling wines from North America, Australia, New Zealand, Spain (Cava) and Italy (Prosecco or Spumante). They’re delicious too, and often less than half the price of Champagne.
Weddings aren’t the only big events to celebrate with wine. These tips also apply to parties such as graduations, reunions, birthdays and anniversaries. For advice on pairing wine with food—from formal reception dinners to casual backyard barbecues—try Natalie’s online food-and-wine matcher at www.nataliemaclean.com/matcher.
Selecting a wine for your wedding should not be stressful, here are some wine selecting tips to help you out
