Help! Can't agree on wedding wine

[winedilemma]

Wedding is getting close and we can't agree on wine to go with the meal. It's mostly lamb and we're providing one red and one white of reasonable quality but not ridiculous price. Each need to be a type that most people would enjoy and nobody hate rather than one person's favourite. We can't choose a selection within each colour.

Which red would you like? Merlot? Maalbec? Rioja? Cabernet Sauvignon? Something else?

Which white would you enjoy with your meal? Pinot grigio? Chardonnay? Sauvignon Blanc? Something else.

Malbec as long as it is from South America for me but I would think most people would be happy with a cabernet sauvignon.

I rarely drink white but would choose Pinot grigio if no red was available.

Really interesting thread
My 2 favourite wines are :
Malbec
Sauvignon Blanc
Though do enjoy a good Merlot,
Pinot, Cab Sav and Chardonnay
(Heck I'll drink anything)

I you're paying, I'm very flexible and would drink any of them. However, I have to say I don't really like sav blanc, nor does DH. I'd just chose what you both like. If it were me ordering, I'd probably go for a cab sav or merlot, and pinot of chardonanny.

Thank you all.

We've decided to spend the weekend tasting various 187ml bottles from Tesco which won't be exactly what we'll have but will give us an idea of the styles.

You have helped us reduce the number of bottles we'll need to try so our livers will be very grateful!

Shiraz and sauvignon blanc for me please

Possibly too late to be useful but how about carmenera for the red?

Similar in style to Malbec but more easy drinking, a bit more fruit and a bit less heavy and complex.

Sorry carmenere can't type

I would vote Malbec and sauv blanc too .

Chardonnay is horrible stuff.

Go for Ned sauv blanc for sure. It's a crowd pleaser.

Chardonnay makes me heave and I'm a "bonne viveuse" (aka massive boozer).

The first thing ExH and I bought for our wedding was wine. We hadn't even booked the venue at that stage. So some people definitely will mind/remember. I've been to weddings where the wine was the most undrinkable crap known and it really spoilt the event in my view.

I assume you have to choose from a list the Caterers provide? If you can buy in your own that gives way more choice and you might even be able to arrange tastings with a supplier e.g Majestic.

But if you just want grape variety from the options you listed, I'd go Merlot or Malbec for Red and Sav Blanc for white.

Most cheaper Pinot Grigio in the UK is pretty awful in my opinion, either bland & boring or as acidic as paint stripper. New Zealand Pinot Gris is softer and easier to drink but harder to find at a cheaper price point (though Aldi do a nice one).

For an SB, if you can I'd go Chilean or French over NZ as the NZ ones can be a bit too 'leap out of the glass' (and I'm a Kiwi and grew up drinking the stuff!). Though The Ned suggested by @KenAdams is nice.

I also agree with a pp that a White Rioja would be a good middle ground if you have the choice. Or an unoaked Chardonnay, despite some people saying they hate it, it's usually the heavily oaked ones that have put them off.

Enjoy your tastings!