Sparkling Wines & Champagne:

2002 Domaine Carneros Brut Cuvée

Laurent-Perrier Brut Millésimé Champagne

NV Bollinger Special Cuvée Brut Champagne

Photography: Ron Manville

Tim Gaiser, Master Sommelier

Tim Gaiser, who provided his special recommendations for great wedding wines to Grace Ormonde Wedding Style, is a nationally renowned wine expert and Master Sommelier. He is currently the education chair for the American Chapter of the Court of Master Sommeliers, a contributing editor for Fine Cooking magazine, and an adjunct professor for the Rudd Center for Professional Wine Studies at the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone in Napa Valley. Gaiser has developed wine-education programs for restaurants, winery schools and wine distributors, and taught classes at every level of wine education. He received the Wine Spectator's Best of Award of Excellence for his wine lists at the Cypress Club in 1991, 1992, and 1993.

Sparkling Wines and Champagnes

2002 Domaine Carneros Brut Cuvee: A Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Pinot Blanc blend, the 2002 Brut Cuvee is a wonderful balance of racy apple and citrus fruit with a long, lingering finish. NV Bollinger Special Cuvee Brut Champagne: Bollinger is one of the few houses to use oak for primary fermentation, creating a perfect balance of power and finesse in this superb Special Cuvee. Laurent-Perrier Brut Millsim Champagne: I'm a big fan of all the Laurent-Perrier wines but their 1996 Vintage Brut is spectacular: it can be savored now or cellared for 7-10 years. NV Billecart-Salmon Brut Ros Champagne: No insipid pink bubbly, the romantic Brut Ros is a serious, age-worthy champagne that is consistently one of the best to be found.

White Wines

Seresin Estate Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, New Zealand: A very long growing season, cool Antipodal climate and well-drained soils makes for wines with explosive fruit flavors and rapier acidity. MountEden Vineyards Estate Chardonnay, Santa Cruz Mountains, California: Sourced from old vines, with cuttings supposedly taken from the Burgundy Grand Cru vineyard Corton-Charlemagne, the Mount Eden Chardonnay has more than a passing resemblance to its French forebears in the form of powerful fruit, minerality, and complexity. Franz Kunstler Hochheimer Kirchenstck Riesling Spatlese, Rheingau, Germany: A seductive, complex and thrilling dry Riesling from one of Germany's top winemakers. Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru, Bonneau du Martray, France: Chardonnay made from one of Burgundy's most renowned vineyards, this is a powerful, full-bodied, and very complex wine, for occasions when nothing but the best will do.

Red Wines

Prunotto Barbera d'Asti Fiulot, Italy: Prunotto has taken this humble grape into the 21st century and made it a sleek and polished red without losing its true identity. The 2003 is especially ripe and concentrated given the year was the hottest on record. Domaine Drouhin Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, Oregon: Well-known Burgundian producer Joseph Drouhin and his winemaker daughter, Veronique, have an impeccable track record for making some of the valleys best Pinot Noirs. Viader Proprietary Blend, Napa Valley, California: Delia Viaders Cabernet Sauvignon/Cabernet Franc blend models the great wines of St. Emilion and balances powerful, succulent fruit with velvety tannins. Penfold's Shiraz RWT, Barossa Valley, South Australia: Made from 100-percent Shiraz sourced from the winery's best vineyards, RWT is a newcomer to the Penfold's portfolio but has quickly established itself as one of Australia's best red wines.

Dessert Wines:

Dry Creek Vineyards Soleil, Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc, Sonoma County, California: This luscious white offers honey and ripe stone fruit flavors with a burst of preserved citrus on the finish. Gunderloch Nackenheimer Rothenberg Riesling Auslese, Rheinhessen, Germany. A bottle of nectar from one of Germany's greatest vineyards, made by one of Germany's top winemakers. Enough said. NV Chambers Rosewood Grand Muscat, Rutherglen, Australia: The liqueur Muscats of Rutherglen are some of the few remaining undiscovered treasures in the world of dessert wines. Made by blending dozens of different wines, some aged for decades, the result is truly magical. If you can't find the Grand Muscat in quantity, the regular Muscat also is highly recommended. Graham's 20-Year-Old Tawny Port: My favorite tawny port and one of the best port values around; a match made for chocolate heaven.

PAIRINGS:

Sparkling Wine and Champagne: Serve all four with shellfish, oysters, and lighter non-red-meat appetizers.

Seresin Estate Sauvignon Blanc: Serve with composed salads featuring seared salmon or grilled chicken breast.

Mount Eden Estate Chardonnay: Serve with richly sauced fish or chicken dishes.

Franz Kunstler Hochheimer Kirchenstuck Riesling Spatlese Trocken: Serve with anything but red meat or dessert.

Corton Charlemagne, Bonneau du Martray: Serve with richly sauced fish or chicken dishes.

Prunotto Barbera d'Asti Fiulot: Serve with grilled marinated pork loin or roasted beef tenderloin.

Domaine Drouhin Pinot Noir: Serve this versatile red with a wide range of foods, from grilled salmon or ahi to lighter meats such as veal and pork.

Viader Proprietary Red Blend: Serve with grilled or roasted beef, lamb or pork.

Penfolds Shiraz RWT: Serve with grilled or roasted beef, lamb or pork.

Dry Creek Vineyards Soleil: Serve with crme brule and cookies such as shortbread.

Gunderloch Nackenheimer Rothenberg Riesling Auslese: Serve with fresh fruit tarts; its also cosmic paired with blue cheeses such as Stilton and Gorgonzola.

NV Chambers Rosewood Grand Muscat: Serve with chocolate desserts of any kind.

Graham's 20-Year-Old Tawny Port: Serve with all chocolate desserts as well as aged cheeses.

Written by Bob Curley; Edited by Yanni Tzoumas;  Photography by Ron Manville