Wine & Spirits for a Wedding Reception

I really need some help. My wife and I are renewing our vows for some family that has come from overseas. Actually, it is a lot of family. We are having a reception at the Hilton at Easton. No it is not my choice, but I need to make the best of it.

I did not want to do a sit down dinner and I did not like the buffet options, so I put this together. Here is the menu as of now. I need to pair all of the food with some alcohol (beer, wine, etc...). Below is a copy & paste that I sent the catering manager.


1 to 1.5 hour cocktail reception with the following H ors d' oeuvres:

1. Crab balls with lemon caper sauce
2. Andouille Sausage En Croute
3. Medallion of Lamb with Rosemary mint cream
4. Grilled BBQ shrimp with chives
5. Sushi rolls with pickeled ginger & wasabi
6. Smoked salmon cornet with dill cheese

In addition to the H ors d'oeuvres, we would like to have the following displays:


1. Cold seafood display
2. Shrimp display
3. Brie
4. Antipasto display
5. Smoked salmon display
6. Sushi station-- not sure what kind of sushi yet
7. Domestic & International cheese display

After the cocktail reception the band will start to play and we would like to have the following carving stations:

1. Prime rib
2. Beef tenderloin
3. NY strip loin
4. Colorado lamb rack
5. Pasta
6. Baked potatoes
7. I need some kind of greens and dessert

What red wines do you recommend for the beef and what white wine for the seafood? I need a lot of champagne too. There will be people there that will think Budweiser is high class and stick with it. Others will actually appreciate nicer spirits. Just need some help getting a list together.

Champagne:
1. Krug (not sure what year, vintage)
2. Bollinger 2003
3. Tattinger 1998
4. Veuve Clicquot (1998??)
5. What else?

Red Wine:
I have no idea

White Wine:
I have no idea

Beer:
1. Budweiser
2. Heineken
3. Duvel
4. Chimay Red, White, Blue
5. Saison DuPont
6. What else?

Cognac:
1. Xo
2. Louis XIII
3. What else?

Scotch:
1. Not sure but I need at least a few bottles

The bar will provide top-shelf alcohol for all of the mixed drinks.

The Hilton's alcohol list is pretty poor but they will accommodate me with anything I would like.

Is this the Hilton in Columbus Ohio?

Yes.

Help!

Do you have any budget in mind? That might help...

Originally Posted by ama

Click to expand...

Do you have any budget in mind? That might help...

1. Scotch:1 bottle, up to $500

2. Port: 1 bottle vintage and 1 Tawny. Up to $500 on the vintage

3. Cognac: I know the price of Louis XIII. Besides that, 3 bottles up to $500 each. Prefer to have 3 different ones.

4. Red Wine: I will probably go with a case of Charles Krug (2004 Vintage?). In terms of quantity of Red Wine, I have no idea how much I will need. I don't know if I should give my guests a variety or impose my liking for Cabernet on them. I am willing to go up to $250 per bottle of Red after the case of Charles Krug.

5. White Wine: I can't tell swill from a decent glass when it comes to whites. I really need help here. Whatever will go with shellfish and up to $200 per bottle.

Can I come?

Holy crappers... is this into big-timer category yet?

Originally Posted by BrianVarick

Click to expand...

Can I come?

Sho!

Are you planning to spend $50K? The sushi seems a little silly knowing it'd gonna be crap, but if it's like something between you and the lady... If you're that far inland, spend your money on reliable seafoods, maybe go for more good salmon rather than buying it as sushi, which is frozen junk for sure, and plenty more red meat/charcuterie/cheese. Why is your brie station separate from your cheese display? Your cocktail reception also mirrors your appetizer stations almost too closely, and you could go lighter with the latter. Perhaps a salad bar in there to take weight off the entree stage.

VC Grand Dame 98 is like a bill a bottle, and honestly, it still tastes like VC. I think Roederer brut premier and Bollinger special cuvee are better, and NV. Why Krug? Why Tattinger 98? Get a better deal on a lot of a good NV, mix in some rose (I just had a bottle of Pol Roger rose 2000 that was good and not too expensive) and then have bottles of cava lined up for when people get too sauced to know the difference. After the first few glasses people aren't going to care.

Also, there's Methuselahs of VC 1973 floating around for about $3200; if I were ever toasting or doing some champagne pyramid (don't ask, I have a wedding to a Japanese lady on my mind soon as well) then I think the novelty bottles are more fun for the occasion.

edit: actually, get a Methuselah of Latour, a Methuselah of VC 1973, and some huge novelty bottles of scotch, pare down the bar to like 3 or 4 comically big bottles, have a Phillipe Starck wedding.

Originally Posted by impolyt_one

Click to expand...

Are you planning to spend $50K? The sushi seems a little silly knowing it'd gonna be crap, but if it's like something between you and the lady... If you're that far inland, spend your money on reliable seafoods, maybe go for more good salmon rather than buying it as sushi, which is frozen junk for sure, and plenty more red meat/charcuterie/cheese. Why is your brie station separate from your cheese display? Your cocktail reception also mirrors your appetizer stations almost too closely, and you could go lighter with the latter. Perhaps a salad bar in there to take weight off the entree stage.

VC Grand Dame 98 is like a bill a bottle, and honestly, it still tastes like VC. I think Roederer brut premier and Bollinger special cuvee are better, and NV. Why Krug? Why Tattinger 98? Get a better deal on a lot of a good NV, mix in some rose (I just had a bottle of Pol Roger rose 2000 that was good and not too expensive) and then have bottles of cava lined up for when people get too sauced to know the difference. After the first few glasses people aren't going to care.

I hope its no where near 50k! I agree with your feelings about the sushi. I have been told by countless people that the Asians there will be looking forward to seafood. We agreed on no cooked fish/seafood as due to odor. There will be a smoked salmon display. Maybe I can cut out the sushi and just add more shellfish. I will make sure the Brie and Cheese display are together. Thanks for catching that. I will add a salad bar too.

In regards to champagne, I want a decent mix. I had the Krug and Tattinger before and really liked it. I will add some rose. Thanks for the catch...Pol Roger is wonderful.

I cannot stress enough how much I did not want to do this at the Hilton. My wife and her sister have 2 businesses at Easton and insist on the Hilton. I wanted to bring in a chef but they said no way. I cannot even add food items to the reception that are not on their list . I am trying to make the best out of it. I figured some decent alcohol will make up for a lot.

Originally Posted by Xiaogou

Click to expand...

Champagne:
1. Krug (not sure what year, vintage)
2. Bollinger 2003
3. Tattinger 1998
4. Veuve Clicquot (1998??)
5. What else?
This is a good list. For Krug, the MV Grand Cuvee is superb. Pol Roger also makes a spectacular Blanc de Blanc that has really impressed me in the past. And Tattinger 1998 is great, Tattinger Comtes de Champagne 1998 is spectacular and worth seeking out as the bottle for you and your wife (but not for the bud drinkers). Billecart-Salmon has become my stand-by Rose, but Bollinger also makes a Rose version of their Grand-Anee and the 2000 vintage is easy to find and is excellent.

Originally Posted by impolyt_one

Click to expand...

have bottles of cava lined up for when people get too sauced to know the difference. After the first few glasses people aren't going to care.
I agree. All of the vintage Champs is great but IMO can be an unnecessary money drain. Serve it for the first few glasses, then have the inexpensive MV or even cheaper Cava poured for the rest of the night.

Originally Posted by Xiaogou

Click to expand...

4. Red Wine: I will probably go with a case of Charles Krug (2004 Vintage?). In terms of quantity of Red Wine, I have no idea how much I will need. I don't know if I should give my guests a variety or impose my liking for Cabernet on them. I am willing to go up to $250 per bottle of Red after the case of Charles Krug.
Perhaps consider some Pinot Noir? Not only is it the "hot" grape, but it is very versatile with food and with a wide range of personal tastes. Spend $100/bottle on something from Burgundy, no need to creep to the $250 level.

Originally Posted by Xiaogou

Click to expand...

5. White Wine: I can't tell swill from a decent glass when it comes to whites. I really need help here. Whatever will go with shellfish and up to $200 per bottle.
I'm going to impose my highly opinionated beliefs here and suggest a bottle from Didier Dagueneau for yourself or the special guests (you wont be able to find enough for the whole party). You will be able to tell the difference between swill and a Didier. His '05 Pur Sang or '04 Silex were particularly memorable and rank among the very best wines I've ever tasted.

For the others, you don't need to do up to $200 a bottle. A $40-50 bottle of premier cru Chablis or Puligny-Montrachet or Meursalt (all of these are white burgs) will be great wines that are versatile with food and widely enjoyed by all palates. Or, alternatively, you could also do a $30 bottle of Sancerre or Pouilly-Fume. I'd personally avoid California Chardonnay. Odds are it will be overoaked and have too much secondary malolactic fermentation going on and will thus overpower any decent seafood you serve (but perhaps you may want this? )

Don't forget to have at least four cigars sticking out of your mouth at all times, you big baller.

For scotch I would get a couple that will add up to ~$500. They are also relatively local to you.

Glenfarclas 1968 - http://www.shoppersvineyard.com/stor...-312p13161.htm

Bowmore 25 - http://www.shoppersvineyard.com/stor...Y-312p7916.htm

For vintage port you should look for something from 1955. It is the oldest stellar vintage in your price range.