The venue is booked, the caterer chosen, the dress tried on. One question is often left until last: which wine should you serve at your wedding? Yet the choice of wines runs through the whole day, from the drinks reception to dessert, and it counts for a lot in the memories your guests take home. At Château Puech-Haut, we host weddings among our vines and serve our own wines. Here is our advice for choosing the right colours, planning the right quantities and getting the pairings right.
The drinks reception: freshness and lightness
The drinks reception often takes place outdoors, in the late afternoon, just after the ceremony. Guests are standing, chatting and nibbling: you need wines that are fresh, light and easy to drink. A lively rosé such as Argali rosé or an aromatic white such as Argali white go perfectly with savoury bites, verrines and petits fours.
Serve them well chilled, between 6 and 8 °C, and always provide plenty of soft drinks: still and sparkling water, fruit juices, lemonades. The drinks reception often lasts longer than you think, and it is important that everyone can find something refreshing, especially at summer weddings.
At the table, a colour for each dish
For the starter, fish, foie gras or a refined salad generally call for a white. A full-bodied, oaked white such as Tête de Bélier white goes very well with foie gras or fish in a sauce. For the main course, if the menu includes red meat, lamb or duck, it is time for red: Prestige red, with its garrigue notes, goes with grilled meat and duck, while Tête de Bélier red, more intense, elevates a rack or leg of lamb.
Then carry the red from the main course on to the cheese. For dessert and the wedding cake, champagne remains the tradition: at Château Puech-Haut, you can bring your own. If you prefer to stay with the estate's wines, a well-chilled rosé can also go with a red-fruit dessert.
How much wine should you plan?
The right calculation depends on the length of the reception, the season and your guests. Caterers often start from a simple benchmark: one bottle of wine for every two to three guests over the meal, split between white and red according to the menu. For the drinks reception, the usual rule is one bottle for every four to five people.
For a wedding of 100 guests, that means around 20 to 25 bottles for the drinks reception and 34 to 50 bottles for the meal. For 50 guests, allow around 10 to 12 bottles for the drinks reception and 17 to 25 bottles at the table. These are rough figures, to be adjusted with your caterer: leave out children and guests who do not drink alcohol, and think about how everyone will get home. Shuttles, car-sharing or accommodation on site are all part of a successful celebration.
Pairing the wines with the menu
The simplest way is to build the pairings with your caterer, starting from the menu. A few principles help you choose. The sauce matters as much as the main ingredient: fish with beurre blanc calls for a full-bodied white, grilled fish for a rosé or a lively white. It is also best to build up in power over the meal, with light wines at the start and more structured ones later. Finally, richness loves freshness: a lively white or rosé balances a rich dish.
For inspiration, our food and wine pairings offer recipes with the recommended cuvée, from foie gras to duck breast. And the best way to choose is still to taste: a tasting at the estate lets you compare the cuvées, get advice and confirm your pairings before the big day.
Getting married at Château Puech-Haut
In Saint-Drézéry, 16 km from Montpellier, Château Puech-Haut welcomes up to 300 seated guests, from the ceremony to the party. Four spaces can be combined to suit your reception: the Orangery and its large bay windows for dinner, the reception rooms for more intimate tables, the park and its fountains, and the terrace facing the vineyard. The day changes setting without ever leaving the estate.
The estate's wines are served at the table, in red, white and rosé, and the partner caterer creates a menu with you that pairs with our cuvées. To discover the venue, a private visit is possible by appointment, and for a date in high season, remember to book early. Discover our weddings or request a quote.
Please enjoy responsibly. Excessive drinking is harmful to your health.
Puech-Haut