The day of your wedding is fast approaching and everything seems ready: the venue, the decoration, the flowers… but there is still one box left to tick on your list: the wines! Choosing the cuvées you will offer at your wedding is indeed a delicate task, as they play an essential role and help enhance every moment of this exceptional day.
So…follow our guide to choose the wines that will make your wedding an unforgettable event!
Selecting the perfect wines for the aperitif and the welcome drink
The welcome drink is an important moment when your guests start to relax and enjoy the party. It is therefore essential to choose wines that whet the appetite and please all palates. Here are a few suggestions.
Champagnes and sparkling wines
Champagne is a must-have at weddings. It brings a festive touch and prestige that makes every toast a memorable moment. So choose a champagne for its finesse, freshness, and elegance… it’s a safe bet to start the festivities in style !
Red wines for the aperitif and welcome drink
Alsatian red wines are perfect for a welcome drink thanks to their fruity notes and light tannins.
Red wines from Beaujolais are also an excellent option. Gamay is indeed a wonderful grape variety offering freshness, fruity notes, and light tannins.
Red wines from Loire, such as Chinon, Bourgueil and Sancerre are also very good choices for a delicate and friendly aperitif. Cabernet Franc and Pinot Noir from the region will indeed make a great impression for the welcome drink.
Burgundy, with its fine and delicate red wines made from Pinot Noir, also offers excellent options, although generally more expensive compared to other regions.
Finally, and although many other possibilities exist, the Rhône Valley is also a safe bet, especially with its delicious reds from Côtes-du-Rhône.
White wines for the aperitif and welcome drink
Alsatian white wines, especially those made from Riesling, are perfect for a welcome drink thanks to their fruity notes, freshness, and liveliness. This emblematic grape variety of the region brings a beautiful acidity and citrus aromas that pair perfectly with a wide variety of dishes.
White wines from Burgundy and Beaujolais, entirely dedicated to Chardonnay, are also an excellent option. A noble and versatile grape, it offers, depending on its origin, mineral and taut wines as well as cuvées with a creamy texture and indulgentstone fruit aromas.
White wines from South-West France, such as those from IGP Côtes de Gascogne, Landes, and AOC Pacherenc de Vic-Bilh, also offer interesting options for a welcome drink. These wines are often distinguished by their exotic fruit aromas and their freshness, offering a pleasant and light tasting experience.
White wines from the Loire, especially Sauvignons from AOC Menetou-Salon and Sancerre, are also excellent choices for a friendly welcome drink thanks to their fruity aromas, liveliness, and minerality. Chenin from the Loire also shines in this context with its notes of ripe apples, honey, and silky texture.
Other possibilities also exist, such as certain white wines from Languedoc or Provence, which bring their own character and diversity, thus enriching the options for a successful welcome drink or aperitif.
Rosé wines for the aperitif and welcome drink
A rosé wine is ideal to accompany appetizers ! Light, fruity, and mineral, rosés from Côtes-de-Provence are indeed excellent companions to awaken the taste buds.
Moreover, if your wedding takes place between May and September, rosé can also be a great asset to refresh your guests during hot weather.
Non-alcoholic alternatives
Don’t hesitate to offer your guests non-alcoholic options ! Flavored waters, lemonades, and iced teas are perfect refreshing alternatives for all ages and allow everyone to fully enjoy the moment.
The best wines to pair with the wedding meal
Choosing the right wines for each dish of your wedding meal is essential to enhance the food and delight your guests’ palates. Here are a few (non-exhaustive) suggestions to guide you in your choices.
Do not hesitate to contact us directly if you would like concrete suggestions for your menu…La Cave Éclairée will be delighted to assist you on the most beautiful day of your life !
The starters
To start off in style, and if your starter is vegetarian or consists of light dishes based on fish, seafood or shellfish, opt for a dry, fresh, and mineral white wine. A rosé from Provence is also an option. In this case, choose it light and fruity.
If you opt for a red wine because your starter contains meat, choose a rather delicate and lightly to moderately tannic wine so as not to weigh down your guests’ palates at the start of the meal !
The meal: a moment enhanced by a good wine!
Main courses
If your main course is based on red meat (beef, lamb, etc.) or is duck breast, offer a bold, spicy, intense, and rather tannic red wine.
The vineyards of South-West France (Cahors, Madiran, Bergerac), Languedoc-Roussillon (Pic-Saint-Loup, Terrasses du Larzac), or Bordeaux (Pauillac, Saint-Estèphe, Pomerol, Saint-Émilion) offer, for example, a wide range of wines meeting these criteria.
For a dish based on white meat (poultry, chicken, pork, etc.), a medium-bodied and flavorful red will be a perfect match. You can think of powerful Gamays from Beaujolais such as those from AOC Morgon or a fine Syrah from the Rhône Valley (AOC Côtes-du-Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Crozes-Hermitage, etc.).
Full-bodied and generous white wines can also pair well with this type of dish (Pessac-Léognan in Bordeaux or creamy Chardonnays from Burgundy such as those from AOC Meursault).
The cheese platter
While it is difficult to find a wine that pairs with an entire cheese platter, keep in mind that white wine is the color that pairs best with most of them. The tannins in red wine do not mix well with milk proteins !
Rich white wines from Languedoc-Roussillon or Côtes-du-Rhône will, for example, pair wonderfully with a wide range of cheeses. Mineral white wines such as those from Chablis or the Loire are also very good choices.
Desserts
Sweet wines are rarely served at weddings. However, they are the ones that pair best with desserts. For indulgentchocolate-based desserts, a sweet red wine such as those from AOC Maury are a must, for example !
Sauternes, sweet Gewurztraminer from Alsace, or sweet Vouvray also offer true tasting pleasure.
If you do not want to go for sweet wines, and although it is not the best pairing from an oenological point of view, champagne can then be served to guests. A rosé Champagne can, for example, be very graceful with a red fruit salad or a strawberry cake.
How to calculate the necessary quantities?
Here is one of the major stress factors for the bride and groom : the fear of too much or too little ! To ensure your guests never run out of wine during the reception, it is essential to properly define the necessary quantities. Good planning will help you avoid unpleasant surprises and guarantee an enjoyable experience for everyone.
Welcome drink
For the welcome drink, plan about one bottle of champagne for three people. Champagne is often consumed at the beginning of the evening and this quantity allows each guest to enjoy about two glasses.
Meal
For the amount of wine to plan for the meal, it mainly depends on your main course ! If it is red meat, plan for one bottle for three people. If your dish is fish, plan for the same amount but with white wine !
Finally, for dessert, plan for about one bottle of sparkling wine for five people.
Spirits and strong alcohols at the wedding
For spirits and strong alcohols, it is important to provide your guests with options that will satisfy all tastes. Among the essentials, you can offer :
- Whisky : ideal for cocktails such as Whisky Cola,
- Gin : perfect for Gin & Tonic,
- Rum : ideal for refreshing mojitos.
What could be better than a delicious cocktail to cool off!
To estimate the necessary quantities, plan for about one bottle of strong alcohol for ten people (that is, about 1 glass per 10 people)... Be careful, this also depends on the average age of your guests and their party spirit!
Beyond the classic strong alcohols, it is always interesting to add 2 to 3 premium bottles for connoisseurs or cigar smokers. These high-quality bottles will add a touch of sophistication and allow enthusiasts to enjoy exceptional spirits in a friendly atmosphere.
Where to buy wine for your wedding?
To find the perfect wines at competitive prices for your wedding, do not hesitate to contact La Cave Éclairée directly! You will benefit from personalized advice and can obtain a tailor-made quote that matches your budget and taste expectations.
So… congratulations and happy preparations for your wedding !
