A toast to marriage

I was sad to see it go, since it reminded me of the lovely lady who gave it to us on our wedding day a lifetime ago, but it had cluttered a drawer for far too long and it was time to see it move on.

That was the best of the tablecloth mountain which we discovered on unwrapping our wedding presents – there were seven in all, although, sadly, no-one had thought enough of us to buy a table.

Eventually, they were used (except the garish puce one, which had an early demise), some for their proper purpose and one made an excellent play tent for the children as they grew up.

Was this the result of a badly planned wedding present list? No, not really. It is just that some guests preferred to go off-piste with their presents. Prosaic things like kitchen bins and casseroles were deemed "not suitable", so the pile of tablecloths grew.

But how much better it would have been if those seven tablecloths had been wine? A well-chosen case of wine could have cheered us through weekday work and weekend relaxation. A case structured around a region could have sparked an interest in that country and in travel.

Instead of cluttering up a drawer, those wedding presents could have been used, provided cheer and helped us to entertain the various friends and relatives who visited us in our new home.

In short, I would rather have had wine, instead of tablecloths, and I am sure there are thousands of couples getting married this year who would too.

But choosing wine to go in such a case can be a tricky business, especially if the couple have firm views about what they like to drink.

One of the best schemes for buying wine as wedding gifts is run by Berry Brothers in London (www.bbr.com). It works just like a department store where couples can lodge their wedding lists, but in this case they have chosen claret and champagne instead of cutlery.

And the great thing about this list is that you don't have to buy a whole case. Once the happy couple have created their wish list you can put your name against as many bottles as you want to give.

This is an excellent way for a couple to build a cellar, or at least acquire some special bottles to see them through the next few years.

For couples who have not drawn up a wedding wine list, Berry Bros will also suggest a mixed case of wine, some for drinking now and some for celebrating future anniversaries.

Their 200 case might include champagne, some reserve Rioja from Marqus de Murrieta, a couple of bottles of Chave's Ctes du Rhne and several other well-chosen wines all with tasting notes to make sure they are teamed up with the right food and enjoyed at the right time.

Locally, most of our independent merchants will do much the same. Andy Langshaw, at Harrogate Fine Wine, (01423 522270) is happy to put together a case of wine tailored to the couple's drinking preferences and would suggest a more classic approach rather than just a case of easy drinking reds.

Given a budget, Andy would create a case, or six-pack of wines to drink now or to keep for five or 10 years. Tasting notes and drink-by advice would be included.

Jamie Goodhart, at Bon Coeur Fine Wines, (01765 606767) recommends buying large-format bottles for future special occasions. A present of a jeroboam of Laurent Perrier champagne (176.25) containing the equivalent of four bottles of champagne, would certainly be impressive and would ensure your invitation to the next party.

Jamie also specialises in en primeur Bordeaux and Burgundy and so could suggest a case of wine which would be bought in the name of the couple, but which wouldn't be delivered for several years. That is one way to make sure that your present isn't drunk immediately.

The 2009 vintage is outstanding in quality, and prices are still not yet finalised, but a case of good claret would provide excellent drinking for the next five to 10 years. Most good clarets still arrive in smart wooden boxes, embossed with the chteau name on the ends, which makes them ideal for present giving.

The Halifax Wine Company (www.halifaxwinecompany.com) have much the same idea in mind when they suggest some good immediate drinking in a 100 wedding present case with Taltarni Sparkling wines, Picpoul de Pinet and Rioja among the wines, but their suggested 300 case is the gem, with Puligny-Montrachet 2005 from Vincent Giradin, Ch La Gaffelire 2000 and some vintage Armagnac providing good dinner party drinking for several years.

Field and Fawcett in York (01904 489073) also have some excellent suggestions for wedding present wines including Gavi from Giustiniara, Chablis from Defaix and Vajra's Barolo le Alba in their proposed 200 case, while Cairns and Hickey (0113 267 3746) suggest a delicious Ch Coutet 2003, a white Ctes du Rhne from Beaucastel and D'arenberg's Dead Arm Shiraz in their 300 case, to provide good flavours for the happy couple.

For any couple, young or second-timers, there will be terrific temptation to drink all the wine in the first few months of marriage, so you could ask for a mix of wines to provide good drinking over the next few years.

As an impecunious student, I once gave a single bottle of Australia's Grange as a wedding present, with the proviso that if the marriage didn't last, I could have it back. The couple drank it, as recommended, on their 10th anniversary, and by then its value had rocketed out of their range and mine.

Of course, if you want your gift to last longer than next weekend, you could make it last a lifetime by giving membership of The Wine Society. This is the oldest wine-buying club in the world and, in my opinion, is certainly the best.

It has a complete list of 800 wines which you can order from, and they represent terrific quality for money. The Wine Society does events around the country, with tastings and dinners, or you can go to the cellar showrooms in Stevenage and just over the Channel, in France, to buy and collect. Membership costs 40. Check out the website www.thewinesociety.com or ring 01438 741177.

This is a gift that will certainly last as long as the marriage, or even longer.

YP MAG 29/5/10