Wet behind the ears

[spencak]

I am getting married in Maui in June. The coordinator at the hotel has presented 3 wines to me as "premium wines". I am very "wet behind the ears" when it comes to wines and I want to know if these are truly "premium" and good-tasting wines.

Eschelon Chardonnay
Sterling Merlot
Lohr Cypress Cabernet Sauvignon

Please help! Thank you.

[Innkeeper]

Hi Spencak, and welcome to the Wine Board. Yes they are considered to be "premium" wines, and all three are good tasting wines for a wedding reception with a wide variety of finger foods. As far as a sitdown meal is concerned, there could be some problems. All three have heavy oak overtones. This is fine for quaffing or with heavy, fatty foods. If you are having a sitdown with lighter foods, we would reconsider the wines.

Keep working through your "coordinator", as to do otherwise would run into big bucks. White wines that go with lighter foods include riesling from Germany, Alsace, or Australia, and sauvignon blanc from New Zealand and the Loire Valley (Sancerre, and Pouilly Fume).

Reds include Pinot Noir, Barbera (from Piedmont or California), or Cabernet Franc from California or the Loire Valley (Chinon or Saumur-Champigny.