What to buy
This is usually a hard one : which wines for our wedding ? Very often we see that couples chose wine per “colour”, price, and taste while having a sip to see if they like it. Which is very relevant… but there are a few rules in chosing wines for a meal, and below are the top 3 :
1/The wines you drink depend on what you eat. You will not have the same wine with foie gras and with scallops. So buy your wines only as or after you have decided on your menu !
2/ Always taste the wines with the same meator fish as the one you will have on the day, and ideally take your wines at the caterer tasting…
3/The champagne you serve should be chosen depending on the season and time of the event. For a hot summer day, choose a very light champagne with tiny bubbles. On a cooler atmosphere, go for a heavier champagne with more body. In any cases, champagne should always be served very cold (the glass should get all frosted).
Choosing wines to go with a meal is a real art (some people train for years to be able to marry wines and food). Do not hesitate to ask for advice from the producers and connoisseurs…
Where to buy
Buying wines in the UK turns out to be much more expensive than buying from France because of massive taxes applied by the government. So it is good news that you can freely purchase wines in France and bring them to the UK.
If this is what you are planning to do, the best way to go about it is to place your orders either direct to the producers or to a retailer, to get it all delivered in one place if possible, drive to France, load it in your van and drive back with your car full of bubbly !
Where to get advice
The best place to get advice on your wine selection for your wedding is a wine shop. People there will be able to tell you about the different types of wines, what they go well with, and to give you advice according to your budget.
Also, London based French wedding planners Et Voila ! Weddings has teamed up with a French wine merchant to give bride and grooms-to-be expert and personal advice on their wedding wines. According to the menu the couple has chosen, the season of the wedding and their budget, the wine specialist will be able to suggest the French wines he thinks would be the best match. How amazing is it to have your own French sommelier service for your wedding ?!
