Wines Of The Time: Bottle Of Red, Bottle Of White…Whatever Kind Of Mood You’re In Tonight

Jan 26, 2017 11:50 AM Back

Besides toasting your future as Mr. and Mrs. With, what else, champagne, you’re going to want to have a cocktail station (with a sophisticated signature drink or two), and plenty of the basics including beer and WINE.

Remember while fancy drinks are festive wine is a standard staple for both casual and classic celebrations so, you’re going to want to keep it flowing.

While you DO (and we can’t stress this enough) ensure that all your guests drink RESPONSIBLY and get home safely…you also want to make sure they have a good time.

Standard protocol calls for 1 drink per person (of drinking age)at your reception for every hour of your celebration. According to experts that translates into 1/3 beer, 1/3 liquor, 1/3 wine (including of course, champagne). So, for a reception with 100 guests in attendance you can expect to serve up 30-40 glasses of wine per hour and since each bottle contains about 3-4 glasses of wine….that means you’ll likely need about 8-10 bottles of wine each hour you plan on partying.

Keep in mind that while you don’t want your guests to overdo it, it’s likely they WILL want to keep “hydrated” while dancing and that they won’t always get a chance to finish their drinks when the music begins…so, with that said, while in most cases less is more, when it comes to food and drink for your guests more is more.

Keeping your budget in mind, it’s best to not skimp on the drinks. Avoid boxed or house wine and opt for finer bottled wines even if they are on the less expensive side. If you must serve something less “sophisticated’ inform your servers to present it in glasses or in a carafe on each table. Otherwise place a bottle red and a bottle of white on each table allowing guests to serve themselves or ask wait staff to pour a glass (never a full glass) upon request.

Seasonal selections are becoming increasingly popular as more and more foodie fanatics are also cultivating their taste buds for becoming wine connoisseurs. Spring and summer events, especially daytime celebrations call for refreshing light and crisp wines (most often white), while fall and winter weddings call for the hearty full-bodied flavor of bold reds. Rose’s on the other hand can please crowds in either season especially if you’re serving seafood.

Want a real fine wine experience? Consider hosting your soiree at one of the local wineries. Not only can you treat your guests to one of the area’s most scenic venues but you can offer a tour of the grounds giving them a behind the scenes look and lesson in wine making and treating them to a vast variety of their “hand-crafted” selections made on premise.

So, what are some of the most desirable wines for weddings? Here are some of the most common picks.

Reds:
Merlot
Cabernet Sauvignon
Shiraz
Pinot Noir

White:
Chardonnay
Sauvignon Blanc
Pinot Grigio
Riesling

Rose:
White Zinfandel
Grenache
Sangiovese