Wonderful Wedding Wines
We asked the sommeliers from Wine Enthusiast to share their vino expertise on which types of corks to pop for the big day.
Picking a wine selection for your wedding day is not as easy as it seems. Sure, you can pick any white, rosé, red or sparkling and be done with it. But wine on your wedding day isn’t the same as getting together with your friends to watch a movie on a Wednesday night. When it comes to weddings and other formal events, wine selection requires a little more thought—what’s the best of each category? What’s the best time for red wine to be served? What kind of food goes with each variety? Luckily, Wine Enthuisast magazine’s Assistant Tasting Director Anna Lee Iijima gave us her top wine picks for your wedding day.
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ROSÉ´: Iijima recommends the Sanglier Cellars 2011 rosé du Tusque (California, $16). A blend of Grenache, Mourvèdre and Carignan grapes, this salmon-pink Sonoma rosé is bone-dry in style, with bright acidity and elegant fruit and rose-petal tones. “This wine is pretty in pink and adaptable to a wide variety of food. A dry rosé is an ideal wedding wine, best served chilled as an apertif to welcome wedding guests along with hors d’oeuvres.” |
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WHITE: Rainstorm 2011 Pinot Gris (Oregon, $13) is Iijima’s white go-to. This wine is immaculately fresh with notes of melon and cucumber. It’s crisp and bone-dry with a refreshing minerality. What makes it so special? “It’s easy-drinking and refreshing, yet complex and structured. Plus, the $13 price tag is easy on the wedding budget.” She recommends serving it chilled with appetizers or any fish or fowl. |
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RED: According to Iijima, the Fabre Montmayou 2009 Phebus Reserva Malbec (Mendoza, $15) is the best option for red wines. Focused with berry and plum aromas, this powerful Argentinian Malbec is ripe with toasty black fruit flavor with a sweet, spicy base. “Juicy and lush with fruit and spice flavors, Malbec is a crowd-pleaser, and again, the $15 price tag is doable for a budget,” she says. This wine goes best with steak or hearty, braised meat dishes, and should be served at cellar or room temperature. |
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SPARKLING: The Mionetto 2010 Rive di San Pietro di Barbozza Millesimato Brut (Valdobbiadene, $20) is Iijima’s pick for sparkling wines because “it’s sophisticated and sultry with hints of toasted almond, rose and exotic fruit.” Prosecco is a great, budget-friendly alternative to Champagne. It’s traditional to serve sparkling wine during the wedding toast, but Prosecco is also an ideal apéritif or accompaniment to dessert. Serve chilled. |
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How does one go about storing these amazing varieties at the ceremony? Wine Enthuisast’s Manager of Communications Jacqueline Strum shared her advice. “To ensure the wine is being stored properly, keep in a cool dry place that’s between 45-55 degrees until the day of the ceremony, similar to a wine cellar. Right before the ceremony the staff will generally chill it all down to proper serving temperature.” This will ensure that these top wine picks will be prepped for toasting on the big day.
