When planning a wedding reception, selecting the right wine is one of the most important decisions. Choosing something appropriate in advance is one less worry and allows you to enjoy your special day knowing that you and your guests can relax and appreciate something special. The beauty of M&S wines is that they are all exclusive to us, hand selected – or even made – by our team of experts, guaranteed to be delicious and with prices to suit every budget.

There are actually several wine selections to make for your big day and it’s likely that you’ll need quite a few different wines, so here are my top suggestions for choosing the right wines for each part of your wedding celebrations:

ON ARRIVAL
For larger gatherings many people prefer Prosecco and the M&S Colle del Principe fits the bill perfectly.

Colle Del Principe Prosecco – Case of 6
Special offer: now £51.70, was £68.94
(£8.62 per bottle)
 
Perfectly clear with a fine mousse, this Italian sparkling white has a creamy nose with hints of candy floss. It’s clean and very fresh on the attack, very smooth in the mid-palate and possesses a lovely balanced, refreshing finish.

The popularity of Prosecco is at an all time high and it’s not surprising because it is a delightfully approachable sparkling white. This example is made by winemaker Alberto Fabretti from specially selected grapes grown on hills and plains in the Veneto and Friuli regions of Northern Italy. Recent changes in quality laws decreed that Prosecco became the appellation name and the grape re-named ‘Glera’, a historical reference.

 
Or if only Champagne will do then why not try Charles Freminet Rose, to add that subtle romantic twist.

Charles Freminet Ros̩ NV Champagne РCase of 6
Special offer: now £90.00, was: £180.00
(£15.00 per bottle)

This beautifully pale pink Champagne has an enticing aroma of berry fruits, a soft creamy texture and a crisp clean finish. The colour is a result of blending a little red wine made from the very best Pinot grapes.

I developed this perfect wedding champagne exclusively for the website with the team behind Oudinot Champagne. For this Rose we aimed for a style that captured the lovely delicate red berry fruit of Pinot grapes along with a lively floral nose and creamy mousse to give it a fruity but delicate finish.

 

ON THE TABLE
The perfect all-rounders that everyone is guaranteed to enjoy, would be Macon Villages for the white, that minerally style matching well with every type of food and for the red, a Rioja, it’s soft and gentle mellow character has a place in everyone’s heart. For those who like rosé on a sunny day then La Prendina Pinot Grigio Rosé would be the perfect answer.

Macon Villages 2011 – Case of 6
£53.94
(£8.99 per bottle)

A fresh and fruity white made from 100% Chardonnay, with a really appealing, lively scent of apples and lemons and a hint of ripe, rounded peach on the finish. This is an excellent example of modern, unoaked white Burgundy.

This youthful, bright Burgundian Chardonnay is made exclusively for Marks & Spencer by the winemaker Georges Brichon of Cave de Prissé in south Burgundy. This wine has be fermented and aged in stainless steel tanks instead of the oak barrels used so often for Chardonnay, so it has a fresh, dry and relatively light appeal.

Romerol Rioja Crianza 2008 – Case of 6
£59.94
(£9.99 per bottle)
 
An exceptionally smooth and mellow red wine which is bursting with delicious plum and cassis flavours and has subtle hints of spice and vanilla.

Crianza is used to describe wines from Rioja that are in their third year and have been matured for at least 1 year in oak. Winemaker Elana Adell has created this well balanced red using hand-picked Tempranillo grapes. It was aged in American oak barrels for 1 year to add complexity and spicy hints.

 
 

La Prendina Pinot Grigio Ros̩ 2011 РCase of 6
£50.94
(£8.49 per bottle)

A delightfully elegant and fruity rosé wine with an enticing aroma of strawberries and cream, a fresh raspberry flavour and crisp finish.

This modern example of Italian rosé is made from a blend of mainly Rodinella grapes with a proportion of Pinot Grigio to add fruit and zest. The fruit was grown on a single estate in the Mantova region of Lombardy, near the beautiful Lake Garda, in a mild and temperate climate with sunny days and cooler nights. The result is a well-balanced, crisp yet ripe, tangy pink wine from winemaker Luciano Piona.

 

THE BIG TOAST
When only the very best will do, you simply cannot do better than De Saint Gall Grand Cru Brut.

De Saint Gall Grand Cru Brut Vintage 2004 Champagne – Case of 6
£192.00
(£32.00 per bottle)
 
Pale gold in colour with a fine delicate nose, beautifully smooth on the palate with pure fruit and an intense complex flavour

This vintage champagne is made from grapes harvested during the excellent 2002 vintage. Produced from 100% chardonnay grapes, it has developed to give a complex and mellow champagne with a fine delicate mousse and great depth of character.

 
CUTTING THE CAKE
A lovely way to end the meal, when people are relaxing with their wedding cake, is to serve a sweet dessert white, and none is better suited to this pairing than Hermits Hill Botrytis Semillon.

Hermits Hill Botrytis Semillon 2008 – Case of 6
£47.94
(£7.99 per Bottle)

A wonderfully luscious, rich dessert wine, bursting with fresh peach and pineapple fruit, with tempting notes of marmalade, dried citrus peel and beeswax.
A premium Australian sweet wine, made by the renowned winery of De Bortoli especially for us from 100% Semillon grapes grown in the Riverina region of New South Wales. The grapes were affected naturally by ‘noble’ rot, which adds concentration and complexity, the perfect talking point at the end of a meal.

If you prefer comparing wines for yourself, then take a look at our freshly launched Wedding Wine Tasting Cases - a handy selections consist of 6 bottles, and part of our wider Mixed Cases offering. Perhaps try our newest case, it allows you to compare Claret with Rioja, New Zealand Sauvignon with Pinot Grigio and bubbles from France and Cava. Shop Wedding Wine Taste Case.

 

For everything else wedding related, make sure you take a look at the M&S Wedding Shop!

Are you planning a wedding at the moment and struggling with the wine choice? Or do you have any wine recommendations to share? Please share your opinions or ask a question by leaving a comment below.