A Wine for Your Wedding

By Rae McConville

Impress your wedding guests with great tasting wine without blowing your budget. Wine store Vino e Grappa, located in Daphne, Alabama, is your one-stop shop for all your wedding wine needs.

Which wine is appropriate for your wedding?  The number of wine drinkers at your party, the theme of your wedding and the types of dishes you serve can all help determine the right choice of wine for your wedding.

“There are so many variables in determining the budget,” Vino e Grappa co-owner George McKee says. “However a good way to ballpark is to divide the number of people drinking by five and the answer is how many bottles you will need.” McKee assures that Vino e Grappa has many options that are both budget savvy and tasty, with some as low as $6 a bottle.

Once you have decided how many people will be drinking the wine, the next step for brides and grooms is to drink up!  You taste the cake, why not the wine?  Vino e Grappa offers weekly tastings for $10, Friday and Saturday nights at 6:30 p.m.  “The tasting has become like a class,” says McKee of the popular tastings that co-owner Terry Brown offers.  Additionally, the store offers one-on-one consultations by appointment to sample wines most appropriate for serving on the big day.

Some wine myths state that lighter wines (whites) should be consumed earlier in the meal than the heavier (reds), but McKee encourages you to go with your own preferences. “Let your palette decide, and don’t stay so close to the rules,” McKee says. At times, the age-old idea of whites with fish and reds with meats works; sometimes it doesn’t. “Shiraz is great with barbeque, so is brachetto with chocolate,” comments McKee.

Seafood goes great with Sauvignon Blanc, and champagne goes well with anything, according to McKee. Serving multiple dishes? “It is difficult to get one wine that matches everything,” explains McKee, “so a buffet of wines is key.” Try a Riesling for something sweet, a pinot grigio for something dry, and a pinot noir for a red.

Vino e Grappa has been open for four years and prides itself on its one-on-one service. Recently, they began offering eight wines for tasting a day. You can even personalize your wine choices by etching your bridal monogram or wedding date on the bottles, another great touch offered by the store.

For tasting schedule and more information check out their website, www.vinoegrappa.com or call (251) 447-0905.