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Wine experts James Nicholson of Crossgar, make summer wedding wine decisions easy with this guide to the best reds, whites and sparklers around at the minute...

In the run up to your big day, you spend hours contemplating menus, enjoying tastings and perhaps even recreating your wedding meal at home, but have you put any thought into the wine you will serve your guests?

This is usually one of the last parts of the wedding to plan, but this shouldn't mean it doesn't deserve careful consideration.

Sergio Zimgarelli, proprietor of Rocca delle Macie
and James Nicholson at a recent gathering of
wine experts in the Ulster Museum Belfast

Picking the wine for your wedding should be fun. It doesn't matter if you are not a wine connoisseur, as long as you know what you like. Red, white or rosé there is no set rule on what type of wine you should serve, but you should take into consideration the time of year and the dishes that will be served.

If the sun is shining and spring/summer is in the air, crisp, refreshing whites will go quicker. Sometimes you can plan for a sunny day and order lots of white and it ends up raining with everyone fancying a comforting glass of red, or vice versa. These things aren't always predictable. That is why at James Nicholson, we offer sale or return on all of our wedding purchases.

Sparkling wine/Champagne always goes down a treat in the summer months. Some people insist on serving only Champagne at their wedding, but it is an acquired taste and not everyone appreciates it.

That is why our excellent range of sparkling wine proves so popular. Here are our top three sparklers, whites and reds. Prices in brackets apply to wedding customers and are per bottle.

WHITE WINE

White wine can easily be overpowered by certain foods. The suggestions below are food-friendly and will instantly revive your guests after a long day.

1. Domaine Octavie Sauvignon Blanc 2009, France £8.99 (£8.09)
Respect for the environment is key to winemaking philosophy at Octavie. The Roubally family, now in its fifth generation of winemakers, follows the practices outlined by Terra Vitis and Agricultur Raisonnée. This Sauvignon is dry, fresh, fruity and aromatic with zingy acidity - lovely. A firm favourite with JN customers, it won a Silver Medal at Paris Concours General Agricole 2009, one of France's top wine competitions. Great with shellfish and meaty white fish such as seabass and monkfish.

2. Tenuta Giglio Trebbiano 2009,Italy £6.99 (£6.38)
Faint yellow-straw with greenish highlights in colour, this crisp, dry wine has a pleasant, fruity nose with the scent of tropical fruits and a delicate touch of flowers. It is medium bodied with a full refreshing, flavour. Goes well with light poultry dishes, such as chicken cesar salad.

3. Château Rives-Blanques Chenin Chardonnay, France £7.75 (£6.97)
Rightly dubbed as the 'Basic Beauty' of the Rives-Blanques stable, this is a clean, fresh and stylish Chardonnay/Chenin vinified in stainless steel vats.

RED WINE

During the summer months full-bodied wine can be a little heavy and hard going. Light/medium styles can still deliver and are a must with red meat dishes.

1. Réserve de Armoiries 2007 Côtes du Rhône, France £7.75 (£6.98)
This superb wine is a deep ruby colour with a fruit-filled nose and a palate suggestive of stewed fruit.The tannins are ripe and the wine is very well balanced. It will go with a range of meats from chicken to beef.

2. Tenuta Giglio Montepulciano 2008, Italy £7.75 (£6.68)
The Montepulciano grapes are selected from vineyards on the hills of the Tollo region in Abruzzo. They are hand harvested to preserve only the healthiest fruit. Two years ageing in oak is followed by a further short period of bottle ageing. The wine has excellent structure and well integrated tannins. Its robust nature and savoury flavours render it an ideal companion to roast meat or game.

3. Cefiro Pinot Noir 2009, Chile £7.85 (£7.07)
This wine has a ruby red colour with blackberries, cherries and chocolate aromas. The palate mirrors the aromas with the addition of tobacco and cinnamon notes, partly due to its spending eight months in French oak barrels. This Pinot Noir has a small percentage of Viognier, which increases its complexity and enhances its fruit character. This wine was chosen among the Top 10 Christmas Party Wines by Decanter.com and it has just been added to the banquet list at the legendary Burj Al Arab Hotel in Dubai.

HELPING YOU MAKE THE PERFECT CHOICE

Every wedding couple is unique and once we at J Nicholson get an idea of your tastes we can suggest various different options. Couples can browse our extensive website, or in our impressive retail outlet at Crossgar, Co Down, and with the help of knowledgeable, friendly staff can pick a few wines to try then and there in our state-of-the-art tasting room. Alternatively, the wines can be purchased and taken away to try in the comfort of your own home. Some couples like to invite round the wedding party and make an evening of it.

We at James Nicholson's are well placed to meet our customer expectations north and south of the border. From helping you choose from a vast selection to delivering to the venue free of charge, we are here to take some of the stress out of wedding preparations.

James Nicholson Wine is at:

7 Killyleagh Street,
Crossgar, Co Down,
BT30 9DQ.
www.jnwine.com

To book an appointment in the Tasting Room call: 028 44830091.
Or email: shop@jnwine.com

J N Wine offer sale or return, free delivery, free uplift, menu cards and expert advice.