WEDDING WINES!

Looking forward to the October nuptials for Michelle and Rhett. They recently did a wine tasting at the hotel which will host their wedding reception. Here's Michelle's report:

We chose the BV Chardonnay and stayed with the house Trapiche-Penaflor Merlot from Argentina.

The Penaflor Chardonnay was trying to be crisp and fruity but was neither and came off rather sharp. And I don't know how much it would mellow out really. The BV Chardonnay had a creamy taste, touch of Vanilla, that was easy to drink. I liked it. A wine that I could keep drinking. This should go well with any of the main dishes.

The Merlot could have used a few more minutes than when we drank it right after opening. Light on tannins, easy to drink red. A slight bouquet, some fruit, touch of spice. I hope it goes well with the lechon during the cocktail hour.

Trapiche-Penaflor is made by one of the largest wine producers in Argentina, Bodegas Esmeralda. According to this 1995 Wine Spectator article, over half of Trapiche-Penaflor is exported as bulk wine. They consider themselves the Gallo of Argentina. I wasn't completely satisfied with the Merlot but had left that decision with the Fiance as he tends to be the red drinker. I may try to sneak a taste of perhaps one of the Zinfandels or a Shiraz, before finalizing the decision.

Choosing wines for a wedding is tricky considering most people aren't necessarily wine drinkers and you want something that is generally pleasant yet not forward in any way. It's like choosing a "polite" wine, one that knows proper chit-chat, but doesn't overstep the boundaries of etiquette to make anyone uncomfortable. You want a wine that people will drink.

My Filipino family tend not to be wine experts as it is difficult to get decent wine in the Philippines. Though when my friend had his wedding there he did manage to score several cases of a decent Spanish table red wine to serve at the reception. But my uncles are quite the connoisseurs of whisky.

We also decided not to host an open bar at all during the wedding reception since we're already providing champagne and two bottles of wine. Besides we had to choose between lechon or open bar and we went with what could be enjoyed by the most guests. We also sacrificed a few chair covers as well.