Wedding Wines

Wines for Weddings

SAVORY SELECTIONS FOR THE BIG DAY

by Stephanie Skager

Weddings are back! Seeing the beautiful beach set-ups always sends a little flutter of happiness through my belly. I may be a hopeless romantic, but I love to see couples taking advantage of our fabulous island for their special day. I am a firm believer that a wedding wine should be equally as beautiful on your palate as in the bottle, especially at an event the is so highly photographed. Here are a few of my favorite wedding selections for the big day of or any of the events leading up to it.

Champagne Laherte Frères Blanc de Blancs Brut Nature: I love this oceanic label for a beach-themed wedding or any beachy event or day. It simply puts me in a great mood. It looks great with aqua, coral, ivory; basically, any color you have chosen as your theme. Brut nature means there is zero dosage in the champagne-making process and, therefore, no added sugar. No added sugar means fewer calories, potentially less hangover, and a very dry, crisp style that is great for a warm day. As for price point, it is in the lower end of the selections we carry from the Champagne region, making it an immense value. Perfect for sharing.

Danica Rosé: How beautiful is this bottle? Danica Patrick’s latest project is a perfect example of the most famous rosé-producing region in the world: Provence France. Rosé wines are not the most popular selections for weddings, but I think that should change. They are so versatile and are perfect for a wedding with food stations or passed hors d'oeuvres that contain a large variety of ingredients. They bridge the culinary gap, paring equally as well with a light fish dish as they do with a steak.

Chemistry and Unity Wines: Not to be cliché, but can you think of better wines to drink when celebrating the chemistry between two people and the uniting of their two lives? I think not! I meet with quite a few brides planning their bars and they are all worried about providing their guests with exactly what they want to drink. Guess what? If the bar is free and someone wants a drink, they will find something they like. Don’t overthink it. I always encourage just one white wine and one red wine that will please a wide variety of people. Chemistry is a collaborative project between Stoller Family Estate and Chehalem Winery from the Willamette Valley of Oregon. The white is a Pinot Gris. It is crisp and refreshing but has a little extra weight on the palate, characteristic of pinot gris from the area. This makes it pleasing to someone who likes pinot grigio or sauv blanc, as well as those chardonnay drinkers. The red is a pinot noir, which I almost always recommend as the red option due to the Lowcountry heat. It is much more pleasant to drink a medium body red over a full bodied when it is more than 90 degrees outside. Unity wines are made by Fisher Vineyards in Sonoma County, California. The white is a balanced expression of Chardonnay with the perfect amount of oak nuance. The red is yet again, pinot noir. Cab lovers don’t fret though. If you are determined to have a Cabernet Sauvignon at your wedding, despite scorching temps, there is also a Fisher Unity Cabernet Sauvignon.

Stephanie Skager is a certified sommelier who has been on the Rollers Wine and Spirits team for more than eight years.