20 Best Wines for Weddings: Listed & Ranked By Experts (2023)
Last Updated on November 5, 2023 by Lydia Martin
A perfect wedding wine should have exciting flavors that appeal to guests. You can opt for sparkling wines, white wines, red wines, Rose wines, and even dessert wines.
But the dilemma arises when choosing the best wedding wines, as there are varying options.
So to complete your wedding menu, consider this list of the best wines for weddings that your guests will love.
Top 20 Wine Bottes For Weddings
20. Gentil “Hugel” Aoc Alsace
Average Price: approx. $11/750ml
Alcohol Content: 12.7% ABV
Why We Like It: This is a refreshing wine with aromas of green apple, pear, passion fruit, and rose. It’s like sparkling wine in character, but this one is much more interesting.
It has a light touch of muscat with a pleasant dryness. It combines sweet and savory flavors on the palate that’ll keep everyone satisfied and refreshed.
19. Sancerre AOP Wine
Average Price: approx. $35/750ml
Alcohol Content: 10.5-15% ABV
Why We Like It: Sancerre AOP wines are loved for their flinty-smoke and gooseberry aromas.
If you don’t want other alcoholic beverages but like a smoky drink to serve your guests, you should try Sancerre AOP.
18. Pine Ridge Chenin Blanc + Viognier Blend
Average Price: approx. $15/750ml
Alcohol Content: 12.5% ABV
Why We Like It: The Pine Ridge Chenin Blanc and Viognier is a vibrant white blend wine with orange blossoms, white peach, and honeysuckle aromas.
Its mouth-filling and bright acidity make it an ideal wine for weddings. The palate opens with white peach and tangerine flavors and finishes with a long, lingering note of lime.
Read: Our Favorite Wines To Give On Christmas
17. Vinho Verde
Average Price: starts at $8/750ml
Alcohol Content: 8-11.5% ABV
Why We Like It: Vinho Verde wines can be red or white, delightfully acidic, slightly carbonated, and low in alcohol. So, if you wish to avoid the buzz, this is a good choice.
The lightness is like sparkling wine, but we find this unoaked Chardonnay a more improved wine. It ranges in style, but they’re typically dry [1] with a touch of green fruit. We also have some non-alcoholic sparkling wines here.
16. Chateau De Thivin Cote De Brouilly
Average Price: approx. $33/750ml
Alcohol Content: 12.5% ABV
Why We Like It: We suggest this red wine as a wedding wine for its delightful and lively profile. It’s elegant and pairs well with various food, like chicken liver pate and duck breast.
If you don’t want the buzz of Pinot Grigio wines and the lightness of sparkling Rosé or any sparkling wines, try this Gamay-based wine, as it’s a perfect balance.
Here’s our list of the most recommended wines in California.
15. Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc
Average Price: approx. $18/750ml
Alcohol Content: 12.5% ABV
Why We Like It: The Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc is a fresh, juicy white wine with plenty of tropical flavors like passion, stone, and melon.
We like its aromas of tropical fruit and raised citrus, followed by a palate full of vibrant acidity and long-lasting flavor, unique to other white wines on this list.
14. McManis Pinot Noir
Average Price: approx. $12/750ml
Alcohol Content: 13.5% ABV
Why We Like It: This Pinot Noir is one of the best wedding wines due to its enticing purple color and floral aromas.
This red wine is a slightly sweet Pinot Noir, smooth, and great light-bodied wine.
13. Rosemount Shiraz
Average Price: approx. $10/750ml
Alcohol Content: 13% ABV
Why We Like It: Rosemount Shiraz oozes black fruit flavors on the palate with a smooth finish.
This red wine is velvety and rich with Shiraz’s spicy notes and the dark currant flavors of Cabernet Sauvignon.
12. Muscadet – Pepiere Clos De Briords
Average Price: approx. $23/750ml
Alcohol Content: 12% ABV
Why We Like It: If you want the finest white wine, try Pepiere Clos De Briords. This white wine is mineral-forward and refreshing, like sparkling wine.
We like this white wine for its delicate, full, complex fruit profile – an excellent match for oysters. Every wine connoisseur will enjoy this one – for sure.
11. Cisco Strawberry
Average Price: approx. $5/750ml
Alcohol Content: 18% ABV
Why We Like It: This dessert wine is one of the best and most unique wedding wines you can serve guests. It has a cotton candy aroma and tastes like a natural strawberry.
We prefer this wine over sparkling rose if you want some complexity. But expect some burn, given its ABV.
And we suggest monitoring how much wine your serve if you don’t want your guests to get drunk (LOL!). This is an excellent alternative to Pinot Grigio, too.
10. 14 Hands Hot To Trot Red
Average Price: approx. $12/750ml
Alcohol Content: 14.5% ABV
Why We Like It: The aromas of this red wine include red cherries, tea, and red currants.
This medium-bodied red wine has notes of plum, green apple, and berry and a spicy finish, an ideal starting point for an unforgettable occasion.
9. Night Train Express
Average Price: approx. $5/750ml
Alcohol Content: 17.5% ABV
Why We Like It: We like this fortified citrus wine for its spices, alcohol content, and affordability. This is one of the low-priced wines you can find in wine shops.
When you choose wines of this type, watch how much wine you serve to your guests. This can make them feel boozy, like Pinot Grigio wines.
8. Bougrier ‘v’ Vouvray Chenin Blanc
Average Price: approx. $16/750ml
Alcohol Content: 11.5% ABV
Why We Like It: This medium-bodied Vouvray is impressively delicious for its rich flavors of cream and nuts – balanced by acidity. We tried it with cheese and fruit, and it’s perfect.
“The best way to learn about wine is by drinking.”
– Alexis Lichine, Russian Writer
If you opt for something light and sweet, Vouvray is one of the finest wines for a wedding reception. It has a mineral edge and floral honey finish, perfect for white fish or seafood dishes.
7. Carpene Malvolti Prosecco
Average Price: approx. $21/750ml
Alcohol Content: 11% ABV
Why We Like It: This full-bodied wine from North East Italy is impressive for its outstanding taste. We like the green apple and peach notes in this wine. It’s fruit-forward and sweet.
Among the alcoholic beverages [2] in this list, we like the fruity and floral aromas in this wine better.
Better be prepared if you plan to serve this wine because, with just a sniff of this, you can’t predict how many bottles of wine your guests can drink due to its enticing aromas.
6. Ribera Del Duero
Average Price: starts at $11/750ml
Alcohol Content: 13-14.5% ABV
Why We Like It: Red wine lovers and wine fans will find Ribera Del Duero wines incredibly rich and full-bodied. We like the classic flavors, including plum and blackberries.
Ribera Del Duero is one of the popular red wedding wines. So aside from serving beer, we suggest Ribera Del Duero wine choices like Aalto, Alión, Flor de Pingus, or Pago de Carraovejas.
5. Cru Beaujolais
Average Price: approx. $60-$70/750ml
Alcohol Content: 12.5-14% ABV
Why We Like It: Cru Beaujolais is a highly classified wine that’s pleasant on the nose with a luscious taste. These bottles of wine mostly provide raspberries and pomegranate flavors.
If you want a summer wedding, remember to include these quality wines [3] on your menu.
4. Ponga Sauvignon Blanc
Average Price: approx. $14/750ml
Alcohol Content: 12.5% ABV
Why We Like It: Ponga Sauvignon Blanc is the best choice for wedding celebrations if you want something light. Its great acidity and satisfying taste are perfect for summer weddings.
Let your guests experience the aromas of tropical fruits, like white peach and citrus. The palate is full of vibrant flavors with a refreshing finish.
3. Joel Gott 815 Cabernet Sauvignon
Average Price: approx. $18/750ml
Alcohol Content: 13.75% ABV
Why We Like It: We like this full-bodied cabernet sauvignon for its cherry aromas and floral notes. It’s suitable for serving cocktails or on its own.
It has everything you need for the best wine – good mouthfeel, fruit flavors, tannins, attractive color, and the full wine’s body.
Read: Our Favorite Cabernet Sauvignon Options Under $25
2. Barossa Valley Estate Shiraz
Average Price: approx. $14/750ml
Alcohol Content: 13.5% ABV
Why We Like It: If you want a perfect wine with vibrant characteristics, we recommend Barossa’s Shiraz for its red plum, black pepper, and spice notes.
It has intense flavors, full-bodied and dry, that wine fans will love. It’s a good pairing for cured meats, lamb, and beef. With its elegance, anyone will surely enjoy the wedding toasts.
1. Thunderbird
Average Price: approx. $6/750ml
Alcohol Content: 17.5% ABV
Why We Like It: Thunderbird is the best wedding wine for its natural flavors. This is an American classic and one of the popular wedding wines from the 1980s until today.
This fortified wine isn’t incredibly sweet, with notes of dark berries, sweet coconut, tobacco, and nutmeg.
It’s a bit challenging to drink, but it pairs well with any reception meal, like seafood dishes, steaks, and red meat cuisines.
**Average price is based on Drizly online. Prices may vary per store.
FAQs
What red wine is best for a wedding?
The best red wine for a wedding is Pinot Noir. It provides the right flavor and experience. Also, it has the ideal alcohol content, around 12-13.5% ABV.
How much wine do I need for a 100-person wedding?
For a wedding with 100 guests, you would need 80 wine bottles, equivalent to size cases of wine. This is enough wine for a 4-hour wedding reception. Note that a 750ml bottle makes for five serving glasses.
How do you choose the finest wines for weddings?
To choose the ideal wines for your wedding, opt for a light and refreshing with a crisp and fruity side. We recommend Blanc de Blancs [4] for a Champagne toast, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, or Pinot Grigio.
Final Thoughts
So, here are the best wedding wines you can serve your guests for the much-awaited day. Instead of the usual Champagne toast, why not try an exciting wine toast?
Whether you like whites, reds, sparkling wine, or rose wines, we have all that on this list. So, pick what you prefer, depending on your style and theme. Congrats!
References:
- https://phys.org/news/2019-05-red-wines.html
- https://www.britannica.com/topic/alcoholic-beverage
- https://www.britannica.com/topic/wine
- https://www.wsj.com/articles/blanc-de-blancs-the-wine-insiders-favorite-champagne-1450369557
