So you are getting married and money is no object…right? we didn’t think so!. We have been contacted by lots of couples and we have been delighted with the feedback on the site. One message that has been coming through loud and clear is that people are looking for value now more so than ever. Many couples are looking to source good wine but don’t have a big budget to allocate to it. Having looked at going up north or over to France etc. the reality of these options is that when you add in time, transport costs etc. these are not the dream solution either.

In response to this we at Corkage have launched a bin end service. We work with over 18 suppliers from boutique specialists to large wholesalers. We have access to batches of wine from these suppliers that may be discontinued lines or simply stock clearence. These wines can represent great value and are available in various quantities at different times. Basically you tell us what style of wine you have in mind and give us a rough idea of quantity required and we will put it out to tender. It never hurts to ask! and you never know we might stumble upon a real bargin.

As we are dealing in clearence batches we cannot offer our usual sale or return policy on bin end deals so you will just have to drink any left over wine yourselves! To get quoted for bin end deals just contact us and we will do the rest.

The question of how much wine to buy for a wedding or event is often a cause of stress for people. As wine is a major cost centre it is important to get the quantities right. For many people the thought of running out of wine fills them with fear at the thought of forever being remembered as ‘frugal bottomed’ by all their freinds and family for ever more. On the other hand Irish people in particular are firm beleivers that free alcohol tastes better and many are capable of drinking a river dry.

The advice from corkage is that it is better to be looking at it than for it!, easy for you to say I hear you cry as you are selling wine…yes but we also have a sale or return policy so if you don’t use it we will take it back. The amount of wine you will need obviously depends on the number of guests you have, the length of the recption and whether your freinds and family are booze hounds or not.

As a guide at a recent wedding in the Grand Hotel in Malahide, a duo of Concerta Pinot Grigio and Domaine St. Jacques d’Albas Minervois were served (both went down a treat!) with mains of Salmon and rack of lamb. Prosecco Il Cortigiano was served for the reception on arrival. The wedding was for 150 guests. The total amount of wine consumed was 48 bottles of white, 36 bottles of red and 60 bottles of prosecco. For the main meal this works out at just under a half a bottle per person. The fact that more white than red was drunk was probably due to the fact that it was a lovely sunny day. The 60 bottles of prosecco Il Cortigiano were consumed as it was delicious,  light and refreshing and the first drink of the day after the church etc.

As a general word of advice, someone from the wedding party (i.e. the best man or a groomsman) should be tasked with overseeing the pouring of drinks. At many venues the staff tend to be minimum wage teenagers more concerned with checking out the talent at the wedding than pouring wine. Someone needs to keep an eye on the guests to make sure that they do not have to beg for a refill or that the staff are not throwing the wine around (filling glasses to the rim for example). The appointed person should also check that the white is chilled and the red at room temperature (red stored in the boot of a car will generally be too cold ).

The arrival of coffee or the provision of a drink for the final toast is a clear signal to guests that the flow of wine is coming to an end. Most people are happy to stretch their legs after a meal and speeches and go to powder their nose etc. Guests then head to the bar as the newly weds get ready for the first dance. At this stage everyone should have a warm glow from good food good wine and heart warming speeches, meanwhile the honeymoon creeps ever closer………….

Corkage has received a lot of emails lately from brides and grooms on the topic of corkage charges in hotels and venues. Here’s an example:


“…..I was astounded to discover the venue I booked is looking to charge me a €15 corkage fee per bottle! They are already getting room hire, bedroom hire for guests, the catering, plus all the alcohol which they’ll be selling in the evening! I believe that such a corkage charge is obscene …”


Hear, hear. But, unfortunately the topic of corkage is not as simple as that. After much consultation with restaurateurs, industry figures and hotels, this is the situation as I see it corkage, when honorably implemented, is a fair thing.
The common complaint runs something like this: “It’s outrageous! I can buy this bottle of Santa Rita 120 Sauvignon Blanc for €10.49 in Tesco , yet such and such venue are looking to charged €30! It’s outrageous!” (See blog on avoiding serving branded wines!)


In defense of the (good!) hotels and venues of the world, let me hit you with a bit of a reality check. Running a hotel is not a benevolent pastime. Venues have to buy, store, sell and serve wine. “So do retailers!” you say. Yes, but retailers, particularly the Tesco’s of this world and mega-wine chains, have an enormous buying power. Tesco can buy the wine at a rate much lower than a hotel. Similarly, Tesco only has to shelve it and put it in a bag. A hotel or venue has to refrigerate it (well, at least half the time), serve it by the glass (more wastage here), pull the cork and pour it via a team of staff.



The trick particularly at the moment in the ‘current economic climate’ (is anyone else getting really sick of that phrase?) is to haggle and haggle and then haggle some more. Corkage charges like property prices and bank shares are plummeting at the moment. A venue is not going to risk loosing your booking over the corkage fee so there has never been a better time to provide your own wine and wow your guests with a great wine selection……..