Experts Guide - Wedding Wine.
The taste and scent of your wine plays into the sensory experience of your wedding and the enjoyment of your guests.
Actually choosing a wine can be quite a difficult decision for many couples, which is why we recommend our expert wine suppliers who guide their choice and provide them with the best possible experience.
We wanted to help you with this, so we spoke to wine industry professional Will Nall from Jascots Wine Merchants Ltd for some exclusive tips and advice.
No. 1
Selecting Your Wine
Question 1 - Do you have any advice for couples on how to go about selecting their wedding wine?
Keep in mind the season in which the big day is taking place. If you are planning a summer wedding or even a late spring wedding I would probably go for a nice Prosecco for the drinks reception. Also think about the menu and style of the food that you are going for when you select your wine.
Question 2 - Would you recommend selecting a white and red wine, and possible also a Rosé? Which would make a good pairing in your opinion?
Yes, I would recommend a white and a red as you are always going to have some people who prefer one or the other; if you are matching a menu for a large number of people keep it simple, stick to basic rules such as matching spicy dishes with fruity wines and try to avoid heavy or tannic wine as your guests will be drinking all night!
Question 3 - What should couples look for when tasting wines? Do you have any top tips?
Go for something you both like, it’s your day after all! Think about the balance of the wines. If one thing like the acidity or alcohol stands out, it is likely your guests are going to find it unpleasant after a few glasses! Look for small producers from either the new world or old world, they are usually better value for your money.
Question 4 - Should a couples wine selection always be seasonal?
Yes absolutely, people want to drink different things depending on the weather. I would recommend a light and crisp white and a maybe a medium bodied fruity red for spring or summer, and a richer maybe unoaked white followed with a warming full bodied red wine for the colder months.
Question 5 - Which wine would pair well with the following meats; Chicken, Fish, Beef and Pork?
Great food and wine matching depends a lot on the way you are cooking your dishes and the flavours that will stand out.
There is a move away from the hard and fast rules of matching red with meat and white with fish and more towards matching the origin of the food to the wine.
Some interesting pairings could be…
Chicken – Unoaked Chardonnay from the New World
Fish – Picpoul de Pinet or a Spanish Albarino
Beef – Red Cotes Du Rhone, Argentinian Malbec
Pork – Red Burgundy, Chianti
Question 6 - How long before your wedding would you recommend selecting your wines?
Vintages may change and stock may not become available, so I recommend that if you know what you want you should book you wine at least three to four months prior to the wedding.
What do you think the benefits of using a wine merchant are as opposed to going directly through your caterer/vendors to provide the wine?
A wine merchant will be able to offer some great recommendations and have the expertise to help you find the best wines for you and your guests.
Question 7 - What do you think the benefits of using a wine merchant are as opposed to going directly through your caterer/vendors to provide the wine?
A wine merchant will be able to offer some great recommendations and have the expertise to help you find the best wines for you and your guests.
No. 2
Champagne Vs. Prosecco
Question 1 - Do you ever recommend Prosecco or sparkling wine over a champagne?
I think a sparkling wine like a Prosecco or a Cremant from France can make a great substitution for Champagne, they can be more approachable in style as they are often a little more fruit driven.
Question 2 - Which are some of the best champagnes for weddings in your opinion?
The big names are great, but sometimes you are paying for the name. Small grower produced champagnes can offer great value for money and will mean that you have something unique! Some good examples are champagne houses such as Dericbourg and Rimbaud.
No. 3
The Budget
Question 1 - How would you recommend a couple go about deciding on their budget for their wedding budget for the wine and champagne?
Most people know their wines these days so don’t try and go for the budget options, but with some shopping around, and with the help of your wine merchant you can find something that will be delicious and within budget. Have a few styles of wines that you like ready to hand and ask your merchant to recommend something similar from a lesser-known region.
Question 2 - Would your recommend the one bottle per person rule of thumb?
Yes, people generally work out half a bottle of white and half of red per person, but always keep some extra in stock just in case. You know your guests best and so it really depends on the mixture coming; if a lot of people will be driving or if you have a lot of children this will be less.
And Lastly…What would be your most important tip when choosing wine for a wedding?
Stick to what you like and what you enjoy drinking, keep it simple and don’t go for extravagant wines that you would never normally drink just for the one day. The wines you choose should reflect your tastes and style as a couple!
We couldn’t agree more!
Fine Art Wedding Planners & Stylists covering The UK & Europe.
2022 Lily & Sage.