Popular Wedding Wine Options
It is an exhausting process to plan a flawless celebration, from choosing the venue and the perfect dress to finalising guest lists, seating plans, and playlists. With so many decisions to make, it’s easy for some elements to become overwhelming or overlooked, especially the drinks. So we put together some of the popular wedding wine options, with the differences across well known wine regions around the world.
Have you ever been to an event where the drinks just didn’t hit the mark? Maybe the wine was too sharp, too sweet, or just plain forgettable. It’s a small detail that can quietly dull the atmosphere, even if no one’s expecting a sommelier experience, but a thoughtful wine selection can spark conversation, complement the food, and make guests feel truly cared for. But wine plays a bigger role than many realise. It sets the mood, elevates your menu, and brings people together in those shared toasts and quiet conversations throughout the night. Whether you're planning a formal sit-down dinner or a relaxed outdoor celebration, having the right wines on offer can add elegance, ease, and enjoyment to your day. Let us guide you through the most popular wine options that are guaranteed to please the crowd and complement your wedding style effortlessly.
Chardonnay
Chardonnay is a classic white wine that’s as versatile as it is beloved. It’s often referred to as the blank canvas of winemaking — a grape that allows the winemaker’s hand and regional expression to shine through. Expect flavours ranging from crisp green apple and lemon in unoaked styles to richer, buttery notes with hints of vanilla and toast in oaked versions. Chardonnay can be light and zesty or full-bodied and creamy, depending on how it’s made.
Chablis, a Chardonnay from a small town located in the Burgundy region of France, is a great example of this versatility — it offers a leaner, more mineral-driven expression with high acidity and no oak influence, making it elegant and refreshing. Don't forget Beechworth, if you're after serving very good quality local Chardonnay.
So, before you buy a particular bottle, ask yourself: “What style of Chardonnay do we want to serve?” Its flexibility is what makes it such a crowd-pleaser, and when chosen thoughtfully, it can pair beautifully with creamy dishes, roast chicken, or seafood.
Sauvignon Blanc
Bright, zesty, and herbaceous, Sauvignon Blanc is ideal for a spring or summer wedding. It bursts with citrus, passionfruit, and grassy notes, offering high acidity and a light body that refreshes the palate. But not all Sauvignon Blancs are created equal, you must ask yourself, what style would go better with your event?
Are you leaning towards the tropical, fruit-forward punch of a classic Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, or do you prefer the more restrained, minerally and flinty style from France’s Loire Valley, such as Sancerre or Pouilly-Fumé? The latter brings a more elegant, terroir-driven expression with subtle smoky notes and crisp acidity — perfect for a refined wedding menu.
If you're after something with a bit more texture and richness, consider a barrel-fermented Sauvignon Blanc, often labelled as Fumé Blanc in the New World, particularly California. This style offers a rounder mouthfeel, soft oak influence, and a creamy texture, bringing complexity to Sauvignon Blanc while still preserving its freshness.
Don’t overlook standout blends either, Margaret River whites and white Bordeaux wines often combine Sauvignon Blanc with Semillon. These blends add body, structure, and aging potential, making them excellent food wines and versatile options for both cocktail and sit-down receptions.
And finally, consider the bigger picture: What dish are you serving? Is your Sauvignon Blanc accompanying a vibrant seafood entrée at a formal dinner, or is it being passed around with canapés at a cocktail-style celebration? Matching the wine to the style of your event is just as important as matching it to the food.
Pinot Grigio
Pinot Grigio is a light-bodied, dry white wine that’s known for its clean, refreshing flavours such as subtle notes of pear, green apple, citrus, and almond. It’s a go-to for casual elegance and pairs beautifully with appetisers, shellfish, salads, and lighter mains.
The most familiar style comes from Italy, where Pinot Grigio is often made in a crisp, dry, and approachable fashion. Much of the Pinot Grigio grown in the flat plains of the Po Valley is produced in large quantities and tends to be lighter and more affordable, which is perfect if you're catering to a large crowd or looking for easy-drinking wine at a friendly price point. For those after more complexity, finesse, and length, look to Alto Adige, where Pinot Grigio benefits from cool Alpine conditions and hillside vineyards, producing wines with greater structure, minerality, and elegance.
On the other hand, the same grape, known as Pinot Gris in Alsace wine region of France, Here it takes on a richer, more textured, and food-friendly style, with notes of ripe stone fruit, spice, and honeyed depth. These wines often have more body and can stand up to creamy sauces, roasted poultry, and more structured dishes, ideal for a more refined food and wine experience.
Whether you’re serving a relaxed cocktail-style menu or a formal dinner, Pinot Grigio (or Gris) is a safe, versatile, and popular choice. Just ask yourself what style best matches your food and the feel of your day.
Riesling
Riesling can range from bone dry to lusciously sweet, making it one of the most versatile white wines you can serve at a wedding. Even in its drier styles, Riesling is known for its aromatic intensity, offering lifted notes of lime, green apple, white peach, and jasmine. With its naturally high acidity and light to medium body, it’s a dream pairing for spicy or Asian-inspired dishes, cutting through heat and richness with ease.
Australia is a true treasure for Riesling lovers, with regions like Eden Valley, Clare Valley, and Tasmania each offering distinct expressions. Eden Valley Rieslings often show crisp citrus and floral notes with vibrant acidity, Clare Valley Rieslings are famed for their intense lime and mineral-driven profile, while Tasmania produces Rieslings that combine bright fruit with elegant acidity and subtle floral character.
Don’t forget to consider German Rieslings, which come in various sweetness levels and body depending on the region — from the dry, mineral-driven wines of the Mosel to richer, sweeter styles from the Rheingau. Austria and Alsace also produce distinct Riesling styles, often with a focus on purity, balance, and minerality with no residual sugar.
As always, mind the food you are serving to find the perfect match. Riesling’s vibrancy and food-friendliness make it an unexpected yet incredibly rewarding wedding wine choice, especially for couples wanting to surprise and delight their guests.
Pinot Noir
Elegant, silky, and full of charm, Pinot Noir is a red wine that appeals even to those who typically prefer whites. But don’t be fooled by its pale colour, this grape has plenty of complexity. Winemakers may use whole bunch fermentation, which can enhance fruit intensity while also adding a subtle stalky, herbal character.
Pinot Noir originates from Burgundy, France, where it produces a wide range of styles, from the lighter, approachable Bourgogne AOC to the more tannic and structured expressions found in villages like Gevrey-Chambertin or Pommard. That said, these premium Burgundies may not be the best fit for a crowd unless your guests are serious wine enthusiasts, as they tend to command top-tier prices and demand more appreciation than casual enjoyment.
In the New World, Central Otago in New Zealand is known for producing bold, structured Pinot Noirs with bright cherry fruit and a firm backbone. Closer to home, Mornington Peninsula and the Yarra Valley offer lighter, elegant, and fragrant styles, often with notes of red berries, rose petals, and gentle spice, making them incredibly food-friendly and perfect for weddings.
With its soft tannins, balanced acidity, and wide appeal, Pinot Noir is a versatile red that suits everything from roasted poultry to mushroom dishes and it’s one of the safest, yet most refined, red wine choices for a wedding celebration.
Shiraz
For a bold and expressive red option, Shiraz delivers in spades. Known for its full-bodied richness, dark fruit flavours (think blackberry, plum, and black cherry), and notes of pepper, spice, and smoky undertones, it’s the kind of wine that brings warmth and depth to your celebration, especially for an evening or cooler weather wedding.
Shiraz is Australia’s most popular and widely planted black grape, and for good reason. It consistently produces wines with bold character, generous flavour, and broad appeal, making it a go-to for weddings and events. The country’s most iconic expression comes from the Barossa Valley, where Shiraz is typically opulent, ripe, and richly textured, often showing hints of mocha, liquorice, and sweet spice.
In contrast, Heathcote Shiraz (from Victoria delivers a more structured, earthy, and mineral-driven style, with firm tannins and ageing potential. If you're looking for a more savoury, elegant expression, explore Syrah from the Northern Rhône in France, particularly from Côte-Rôtie and Hermitage, where the wines are floral, spicy, and refined, with a smoky complexity that’s perfect for wine lovers seeking something sophisticated.
Whether you choose a rich and fruit-driven Australian Shiraz or a more restrained, spicy Syrah, this grape has broad appeal and serious versatility, pairing beautifully with grilled meats, slow-cooked dishes, and hearty winter menus. It’s a crowd-pleaser with impact, perfect for weddings that call for something bold in the glass.
Cabernet Sauvignon
Cabernet Sauvignon is the classic red wine for lovers of structure, depth, and intensity. Known for its firm tannins, full body, and bold flavours of blackcurrant, cassis, tobacco, and cedar, it brings a sense of richness and sophistication to any wine list. It’s a wine that pairs beautifully with red meats, slow-roasted lamb, and hearty fare, making it a natural fit for elegant, sit-down wedding dinners.
Australia produces some outstanding Cabernets, each with its own signature style. The Coonawarra region in South Australia is world-renowned for its refined Cabernet Sauvignon, offering notes of blackcurrant, mint, and eucalyptus, underpinned by fine tannins and vibrant acidity, a more classic, cool-climate style that ages gracefully. On the other hand, Barossa Valley Cabernet is typically richer and fuller, often blended with Shiraz, showcasing riper fruit and a more plush, powerful structure.
Internationally, Bordeaux sets the benchmark for Cabernet Sauvignon, especially in the Left Bank, where it’s often blended with Merlot and other varietals to create wines of remarkable balance, longevity, and finesse. These wines tend to be earthier, more structured, and less fruit-forward than their Australian counterparts, ideal for wine lovers looking for something with old-world elegance.
While Cabernet Sauvignon can be a bit more assertive than other reds, it remains a timeless and crowd-pleasing choice, particularly if you’re planning a menu with rich proteins and bold flavours. It adds depth, class, and age-worthiness to your wine offering, perfect for weddings that lean toward traditional or formal settings.
GSM Blends
If you're looking for a smooth, approachable red blend with plenty of character, GSM is a fantastic choice. Named after its three grape varieties Grenache, Shiraz (Syrah), and Mourvèdre (also known as Mataro) this blend offers a harmonious mix of juicy red and dark fruits, spice, earthiness, and soft tannins. It tends to be medium to full-bodied, making it extremely versatile with food and appealing to a broad range of palates.
Australia, particularly the Barossa Valley, is famous for producing lush, fruit-forward GSM blends with notes of plum, raspberry, baking spices, and a touch of savoury depth from the Mourvèdre. These wines are generous, warming, and perfect for a relaxed, festive wedding atmosphere.
The style originates from Southern Rhône, where regions like Châteauneuf-du-Pape craft more structured, savoury versions of GSM with flavours of garrigue herbs, leather, and black olives. They tend to be a little more restrained and rustic, ideal for food pairings and wine lovers looking for a touch of old-world charm.
You’ll also find excellent and more affordable expressions from Languedoc-Roussillon, where GSM blends often offer great value, soft tannins, and vibrant fruit, making them a smart option for larger guest lists without compromising on quality.
With its balance, softness, and flavour complexity, GSM is a crowd-pleaser that works beautifully with shared plates, barbecued meats, Mediterranean dishes, or even a long grazing table at a cocktail-style wedding.
Are you already lost in the world map of wine? You’re not alone, from grape varieties and regional styles to producer's styles, food pairings and price points, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. That’s why we offer our Wedding Wine List Development service: we’ll work closely with you to create a tailored wine list that aligns perfectly with your event style, menu, and budget.
We’ll handle the planning, you just enjoy the tasting and make the final call. We can also help source your wines at the best possible prices, ensuring you get quality without blowing the budget.
You already know what you are serving? See Shop by Cases to see our wholesale pricing, or send us your wine list for a quote.
