A Vine Romance: Wine and Weddings

5 Tips for Picking Bridal Bottles

by Natalie MacLean

You've sent the wedding invitations, booked the band and ordered the cake. Now how do you choose which wines to serve?

"Toasting with wine to your new life together is a great way to celebrate a marriage-so don't let the decision be grounds for divorce" says Natalie MacLean, author of Red, White and Drunk All Over: A Wine-Soaked Journey from Grape to Glass. "With so many wine regions and producers today, it's easy to find delicious bottles within any budget."

Here are Natalie's top five tips for choosing wedding wines:

1. Calculate your quantity. The average guest consumes about one to two drinks per hour. A bottle of wine contains about four drinks and a bottle of bubbly has five.

2. Match the meal. Choose versatile wines that are food-friendly and appeal to many palates. The best choices are neither too light nor too heavy. For white wines, try Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grisgio; for reds, Gamay, Pinot Noir or Merlot. For specific brands, visit: www.nataliemaclean.com/wine_picks.

3. Celebrate your history. Personalize your wine choice: pick those made in the country where you (or your ancestors) were born, or perhaps where you met your partner.

4. Offer a mixed bar. Not everyone drinks wine, so offer popular spirits such as gin, rum, scotch and vodka. For non-alcoholic drinks, offer fruit punch, juice, soda or sparkling water. A signature cocktail, created for your wedding, is also a great idea.

5. Raise a glass of liquid pearls. Champagne from France isn't the only bubbly suitable for your wedding toast. Look for sparkling wines from North America, Australia, New Zealand, Spain (Cava) and Italy (Prosecco or Spumante). They're delicious too, and often less than half the price of Champagne.

Weddings aren't the only big events to celebrate with wine. These tips also apply to parties such as graduations, reunions, birthdays and anniversaries. For advice on pairing wine with food — from formal reception dinners to casual backyard barbecues — try Natalie's online food-and-wine matcher at www.nataliemaclean.com/matcher.

The interactive tool has thousands of wine pairings and recipes. The site allows you to find great wine choices to pair with any food: meat, pasta, seafood, vegetarian fare, pizza, cheese and dessert. You simply choose the food or wine from a drop-down menu to get the pairing suggestions. The matcher is updated regularly with new dishes and wines from the 83,000-plus readers who subscribe to Natalie's free e-newsletter, which offers tips on how to buy, cellar and serve wine.

In Red, White and Drunk All Over, Natalie discusses how to match food and wine in greater depth, including wines for a multi-course dinner. There's also a chapter with advice on pairing wine with five challenging foods: chocolate, cheese, spicy dishes, vegetables and fast food. Got a dish or a wine to stump Natalie? Just e-mail her via her web site and she'll suggest a match for you.