Wines for reception..........

[BelleM77]

I am getting married next summer and we are planning on putting a couple of bottles of wine at each table. We are having salad, spaghetti with meat sauce and fettucini alfredo. What wines would go with that food? We are looking for wines that are $10 or less a bottle. Thanks in advance for the help!

[winoweenie]

Bellm77, I`d suggest going to a trusted retailer closer to the fateful day and seeing what his suggestion at the time can produce. Probably have choices from Chile, Argentina, and maybe Australia. However at my table I`ll just take a couple bottles of Diamond Creek Lake. winoweenie

[raggedy1]

I am getting married myself next summer and have been looking for some good wines. I just suggested, to another on this site, a great rose' that I just found: Joseph Phelps Vin du Mistral, and it only costs $5.99. This is a great alternative to your typical chardonnay and it is head and shoulders above a "blush" wine aka white zinfandel.
For reds, I chose to spend a little more. If you want to stick to under 10, try to find Chateau des Tours 1998 Cote du Rhone. I found this little gem while looking for 98 Rhones. It has a beautiful, irridecent color. There are your typical Rhone spices, but they are not overwhelming. Medium bodied with a short to medium finish. While this won't fool anyone into thinking it's a 30 dollar chateauneuf du pape, it definitely drinks like a 20 dollar wine.
I think you'd be hard pressed to find a 10 dollar Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot that will surpass this Chateau des Tours...
good luck

[Innkeeper]

For the red, would go with CDR myself, but that doesn't mean that the whole crowd would. A recent "study" showed that wedding reception type crowds prefered the lower ($10 and under) priced Australian Shiraz'. Rosemount, Lindemans's, et al. For the white, the masses and moi also disagree. Would prefer a non-oaky chardonnay such as a Maconnaise. The same "study" shows that the opposite is preferrable. The "biggest" one you can get at the $10.00 range (and admittedly a nice one) is the R.H Phillips, Chardonnay, Barrel Cuvee, Dunnigan Hills.

[barnesy]

Since you are having Italian food, you may wish to go with some Italian wines. To match with the spagetti, go with a lighter bodied Chianti. I have had luck with serving Chianti to non-red drinkers, especially with italian food.

For the alfredo, i am not sure on that one, but possible a Pinot Grigio would work, some of the other folks here may have a better white suggestion.

Barnesy

[hotwine]

A Pinot Grigio would indeed work well, but I can't recommend any in your price range. Maybe one of the folks knowledgeable in Pinot Gris could offer a recommendation.

[Innkeeper]

Kinda missed the Italian angle. A pinot grigio in the price range is 1999 repeat 1999 Albola, Pinot Grigio, Friuli (DOC), Aquileia.
Recently enjoyed one with Italian seasoned chicken breasts, and it was fine. Unlike most Italian whites it was Alive On Arrival.

[Garbo]

I'll jump in to hawk my favorite under $10 white wine: Bonny Doon's Ca Del Solo Malvasia Bianca. It's kinda crisp and fruity; smells sweet but tastes dry. California wine but Italian style.

Correction:
Be sure NOT to get the 1999, which was just released. The grapes matured late and they decided to do a "sweet" bottling of the Malvasia -- it's more desserty than usual...

[This message has been edited by Garbo (edited 12-12-2000).]