Weddings
At most weddings the wedding menu includes at least one red wine and one white wine. Whilst you may have some guests that only drink a glass of wine with their meal, there will be others who will be drinking throughout the reception. As a general rule, and to ensure you don’t run out of wine, it is suggested you calculate one drink per person per hour of the reception so that you know the quantity to order.
Of course, it’s not just wine you want at a wedding. It is suggested that a bar has a ratio of one-third beer, one-third liquor and one-third wine. Sparkling wine or champagne for toasts is in addition to that. Each bottle of wine usually provides 4 glasses, with a bottle of sparkling wine or champagne providing about 8 glasses to toast. If, in your calculations, you find that you are needing part of a case, we suggest you round up the numbers so that you can be sure you don’t run out and also, if any is left after the wedding you and your guests can take these bottles home.
Match your wine with the food you will be serving. Consider all the different red, white and rose’s to find the wine with the right flavour, body and finish to suit your entire menu. The most well known grapes are Merlot, Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Noir for red wines. For white wines consider Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio and Riesling and for rose wines, White Zinfandel, Grenache and Sangiovese.
You can choose your sparkling wine or champagne without needing to consider your menu, as these are usually only used for a toast.
Do consider box wine if you’re on a budget. Boxed wine does not equal low quality, but if you prefer you can ask your caterers to serve this in glasses on a tray or in pre-poured carafes. A three litre box is the equivalent of four bottles of wine. Otherwise, leave a bottle of red and white wine on the table.
Birthday Wines
Wine is not just a drink to enjoy at a wedding. There are other times in life when a special bottle of wine is required. This wine may be chosen not just to impress, but to mark the occasion as different to any other. On your birthday, or the birthday of someone you are close to, try and find a vintage they will enjoy. You can look at fine wines from the birth year, which can be a challenge as most wines are usually drunk within five years of bottling. Look for a port, a Bordeaux of a high-end Riesling that all age well. These can become expensive, so look for a higher end wine from favoured region or producer.
Winery weddings
Winery weddings have become increasingly popular over the years. This is hardly surprising since they offer beautiful surrounding both outdoors with mountain backdrops, vast acreage of vines and farmland and indoors in rooms specifically designed for events, including weddings.
First-date Wines
If you’re in the dating game and you want to take your date out for a meal, order wine by the glass so that you can be adventurous and try something new. Find out what your date likes and ask your server if they can recommend something similar.
Graduation Wines
Graduations are another excuse for offering a bottle of vino. A champagne is a good choice or a bottle of wine that can be drunk now or is worth ageing. Also look at a winery that is well-regarded or from a favourite region. These wines are not necessarily expensive, but they are more than the bottle you grab from a store, just because it’s a Friday.
Celebrating a New Baby
Whilst you can give mum and dad a bottle of wine to drink now in celebration of the birth of their child, presenting wine that can age with the baby is a wonderful gift if you can find one that will age well up to the time the new-born is legally able to drink alcohol.
Anniversary Wines
Anniversaries are important dates to celebrate, whether it’s to mark the time in a job we love or the anniversary of marriage, it’s important to show you’ve cared to remember. You may have a bottle stored ready for the occasion. If it’s your first anniversary, maybe there’s a bottle you kept back from the reception for just this occasion.
Seasonal Celebrations
For a spring or summer event, particularly one taking place outside or in the daytime, a crisp white wine is a good choice as it is not too heavy. Consider Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir. Celebrations in autumn and winter suit red wines, especially if there is a dinner included match well with buttery Chardonnays or full-bodied Merlots.
