Drinks Reception Reccommendations

Believe it or not, sherry was once the tipple of choice served at wedding receptions.

Arguably the quality of sherry has sky-rocketed over the last few decades so these days it probably wouldn’t be a bad idea, although it’s unlikely to slip down too well for the majority of the wedding party.

 

Pimms has had its day in the spotlight too; the red sweet spirit diluted with lemonade and full of fresh fruit, cucumber and mint arguably slips down too well! Personally, unless it has a shot of vodka to provide some kick, Pimms wouldn’t top the bill of any special occasion I was hosting.

So, the question is, what should you serve as the apéritif at your wedding?

 

Cocktails have seen a rise in popularity in recent years but it’s tricky to choose one that everyone will enjoy, so to my mind bubbles is the answer.

As Madame Lily Bollinger famously said: "I drink champagne when I'm happy and when I'm sad. Sometimes I drink it when I'm alone. When I have company I consider it obligatory. I trifle with it if I'm not hungry and drink it when I am. Otherwise, I never touch it -- unless I'm thirsty."

But bubbles doesn’t have to mean Champagne. Prosecco is the much-loved fizz of choice for most, but as this is your wedding I would recommend pushing the boat out a bit and consider an English sparkling wine. Ten years ago people might have scoffed at the thought of serving a wine from England on their special day, however the quality and variety has come on leaps and bounds and now you would be hard-pushed to find anyone who hasn’t enjoyed a glass or two of great British bubbly.

The Langham Wine Estate in Dorset was recently named Sparkling Wine Producer of the Year by the International Wine & Spirits Competition (IWSC) seeing off more than 700 entrants including Champagne houses and Prosecco brands.

The sparkling wines of Langham are an excellent choice as the most important day of your life commands the ultimate sparkling wine to ensure proceedings start with a bang (or pop).

Whilst it might be tempting to go for the ever-so-pretty and delicious 2017 vintage Rosé, I would suggest Langham’s Corallian Classic Cuvée NV will really whet the palates of the assembled wedding party.

This chardonnay-dominant classic cuvée is a fresh and aromatic sparkling wine. A pale gold colour with a stream of fine bubbles, this award-winning English sparkling wine has aromas of cut grass, oyster shell and baked apple. The palate has a fine mousse with a saline focus. Stewed apple flavours with an integrated citrus acidity and a long finish. It is both fresh and complex.

Corallian Classic Cuvée NV is available from Langham Wine Estate priced £27.50 per bottle.

Don’t forget to consider the soft drink option too! Orange juice is often the default choice, but there is a huge and growing selection of non-alcoholic drinks now available.

From flavoured waters, posh tonics and hard seltzers, there is a lot to pick from. Wasing stock a delicious range of Gusto Organic drinks. Bursting with botanicals, have a taste of the Sicilian Lemon with Yuzu or the Real Cola.

Finally, it’s important to calculate how many bottles of bubbly you need to allocate for your reception drinks. The usual recommendation is 1.5 glasses per person, but I would always over order and if there are bottles leftover you can take them home and continue the celebration.

When you host your wedding at Wasing Park the majority of wines need to be purchased from the venue but couples are allowed to supply a limited amount of top up wine for their wedding breakfast and fizz for the drinks reception.

Cheers to your bubbly big day!

Vicky Major - Drinks Specialist