Best Wedding Wines: Your Questions Answered by Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant

When we think of wedding receptions, we always picture the newly married couple and their guests toasting each other with glasses of wine. After all, wine–which often symbolizes abundance–has a rich history of being enjoyed during celebrations and special occasions, and many wedding planners and couples know how important choosing the best wedding wine can be. 

One of the most common questions we get is what kind of wedding wine to serve, and we understand why people are so concerned: wine preferences can be so different, and everyone wants to make sure that their guests are enjoying themselves.

This means that choosing the best wedding wines can be a tricky task. While it’s best to work closely with your wedding caterer to find wines that complement the menu and the theme of the wedding, we at Anaviv Catering & Events do have some basic guidelines that can help you get started on your decision.

For this, we’ve asked Allyson Noman from the highly regarded Berkeley-based wine shop, Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant (whose staff picnic we catered in 2023), to share her experience with choosing excellent wines for special occasions.

What qualities make a wine a good choice for a wedding reception?

Wines for any occasion catering to a large crowd should be accessible and easy-drinking. This works two-fold: on an experiential level, you simply want wines that are crowd pleasing. And on a logistical level, you want to find wines that will be available for you to plan with. To both ends, I like to suggest working with a reliable retailer! One of our favorite things at the Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant shop is guiding our clients towards options in each category (white/rosé/red/sparkles), and we often suggest buying single bottles to taste at home to find your favorites before committing to the large quantity order. 

It’s also important that the people getting married are happy, excited, and having fun. Whether that means the wedding party table has its own special large-format bottle of Champagne, or someone’s hard-to-please parent must be appeased, considering your guests and how their experience will reflect back to you can be very helpful. 

What’s the best white wine for a wedding reception?

It’s always nice to stick with the classics. Varieties that are easy to recognize generally make people most comfortable. Sauvignon Blancs from the Loire like Sancerre or its neighboring region, Reuilly, and mineral-driven Chardonnays like Chablis are great places to start. Also—don’t be afraid to ask for help and stay open-minded! You’ll be surprised at how many options you can find in unexpected places, like full, festive Chardonnay from the Mâconnais, or chalky Verdicchio from Le Marche. 

What’s the red wine for a wedding reception? 

Same rules as above. Start with a variety you know or love, and branch out from there to fit price point, availability, and personal preference. You can find accessible Pinot Noir from Irancy in northern Burgundy, or on the Italian side, Piemontese Nebbiolo. I also have to include our fantastic Cotes du Rhône Villages, which has a beautiful balance of fruit and earth, is certified organic, and the price cannot be beat.

 

Best wedding wines for each season

Let's talk wines that are perfect for each season! At Anaviv Catering & Events, we suggest using seasonal ingredients for your wedding catering to enhance your guests' dining experience while being budget-conscious at the same time. The fresh flavors of seasonal menus also complement any wedding's theme and atmosphere, and working with seasonal ingredients also give caterers a chance to show their creativity and provide a one-of-a-kind culinary experience. And what better way to cap off a seasonal wedding menu than a wonderful selection of wines that complement the fresh flavors? Allyson provided us with an easy

What are the best wedding wines for spring?

Spring is when we start to see lots of greens, herbs, and sunshine. Crisp, zippy whites like Pouilly-Fumé or Bordeaux blancs will be go-to’s, and it’s an ideal time to include a light, juicy rosé, like those from Beaujolais. Another option (and KLWM classic!) would be rosé from Bandol, typically full of citrus, peach, and again, those herbs. 

What are the best wedding wines for summer?

Summer is when produce really pops with lots of juicy stone fruit, tomatoes, and anything grilled. Rosé is going to shine, and region-wise, there’s nothing quite so quintessential as a Provençal rosé in summer. I’d also opt for a lighter red—extra fun points for island wines, think Corsica and Sardinia—serving it chilled if possible, one of our favorite practices and something to help beat the heat. 

What are the best wedding wines for fall?

It’s hard to think of fall without thinking of holiday meals and big gatherings, and the ultimate pairing for the season is Gamay from Beaujolais. These reds are so versatile, ranging from earthy to bright-fruited, effortless to elegant. You can start going a bit more aromatic and/or full-bodied with whites, too—Riesling and Pinot Blanc from Alsace or fuller Chenin Blancs from Vouvray are some favorites.

What are the best wedding wines for winter?

Winter immediately makes me think of holiday classics like vintage Champagne. With proper guidance (again, this is when choosing the right place for this kind of shopping is key!), you can easily substitute a Crémant, Prosecco, or other sparkling wine, and this is also the time when you can get away with heartier reds. Bordeaux is a timeless option of course, but bottles from all over the south of France can complement winter fare; I’m thinking earthy, sometimes inky reds from the Languedoc, where the wines feature most of the same varieties as are grown in the southern Rhône—another go-to region. With everything, keeping in mind pairing with menu items is indeed a welcome practice, and a keen way to start guiding you toward your perfect selections. 

As a final note, the most important thing is to enjoy the process! You’re simply choosing a white, a red, a sparkling, maybe a rosé. At the end of the day, guests will drink what they want to drink. Weddings are places of celebration. Keep it simple and have fun.