Getting Reception Wine from France.

Baldie · 13-01-2009 10:28am #1

Hi all,

My fiancé and I are getting married in July 2010. We were out at the hotel last night discussing some things and of course, wine came up. Their house wine is €21 a bottle, and if we bring in our own, corkage is €8 a bottle.

So a mate of mine and I came up with the idea a few weeks ago of driving to france in a van and buying wine over there for about €3 - €5 a bottle, which would mean the bottle of wine would cost us €13 (wine + corkage). Does anyone know of any websites for wine warehouses in france, preferable close to the coast?

Has anyone done this for their wedding, and if so, was it a good idea?

seamus · 13-01-2009 10:59am

I'm strongly considering even just a trip to the UK. I imagine if you ring a retailer beforehand (or try musgraves or someone), they can arrange a bulk discount or at least to have the stock on hand ready for you.

Your only issue is importing. If customs stop you, you'll need to prove that you're not bringing the alcohol into the country to sell it. So get as much proof as you can about your wedding - booking confirmations and so forth. It might even be a good idea to contact customs in advance to get clearance from them. Someone arriving back on the ferry with 400 bottles of wine in a van is going to look dodgy.

If I do this, I'll post up and let ye know how I got on.

fi · 13-01-2009 10:59am

We are getting Married in August and doing this, but our corkage is €12 per bottle and €15 for champers!!

i am not sure how we are getting it here but we will!!!!

kayos · 13-01-2009 11:10am

Thats pretty cheap corkage OP, we thought we were doing well with 9 a bottle on wine and champ/sparkling (sorry Fi).

As for bringing your own wine/champs both my siblings did this at their weddings and saved big time one got it local i.e. in Ireland the other brought it in from Nappa they were living in CA at the time. We intend on doing it as well just debating were to go for it France or the UK, although with the exchange rate sliding again I would guess it will be france.

Baldie · 13-01-2009 12:24pm

I suppose a trip up north would be an option as well if the exchange rate stays reasonable.

taztastic · 13-01-2009 8:44pm

Can only speak from experience of holidays to France but I would say you don't even need a supplier - just check out a local hypermarche or two (e.g. Casino). They stock an excellent supply of wines and a range of champagnes and sparkling wines included Moet and Veuve etc. You could contact a wine merchant if you are looking for something different, i.e. more high end champagnes like Roderer or advice on what to pair with your meal.

muffinob1 · 17-01-2009 11:17pm

god where's the wedding our corkage is 13 and 16 for bubbles. is it near carlow kildare kilkenny so I could argue my case in my hotel?;)

Baldie · 19-01-2009 9:34am

muffinob1 wrote: »

god where's the wedding our corkage is 13 and 16 for bubbles. is it near carlow kildare kilkenny so I could argue my case in my hotel?;)

The hotel is in Shannon, Co. Clare, but you could always tell your hotel that is a little closer to home....

fi · 20-01-2009 11:33am

Could you barter with the corkage?

my corkage for the wine is ver 3 times the cost of the actual wine. its absurd.

muffinob1 · 20-01-2009 12:02pm

I'm about to send the barter email now so will let you know how that goes

Terpsichore · 20-01-2009 5:01pm

We've just booked a car on a ferry to France, and the cheapest comes at around EUR800.00. That's certainly going to affect your corkage figures!

fi · 22-01-2009 8:58am

my other half's boss is French and drives over and back every week and has offered to bring it in for us!!!!

I have sent email as well to see if i can do anything on corkage.

Terpsichore · 22-01-2009 10:11am

Well in that case!

Does the lovely boss understands the legendary quantity drank by the Irish crowds and the logistic attached to such a plan? (I read 400 bottles higer in this thread... )

If the lovely French boss knows how to get a customer number for Métro, then you're sorted: it's the French Cash&Carry/Musgrave.

There are some websites out there (search online French wines) but you need to speak French, and the delivery would be in France only I recon. Can your boss get the delivery to his French home? Also, where will his ferry get to in France? Roscoff, Cherbourg or Le Havre?

Good luck!

implausible · 22-01-2009 7:26pm

Here are two that are very near Calais. My OH used to drive the continent and oftem got himself a nixer bringing wine in for weddings. OP, do you know any truckers? They can be quite obliging!

www.pidou.com
www.bottles-calais.com/index.html

Also, a trip north IS worthwhile as the Euro is worth 94p at the moment. You could get a very good deal, especially with an independent off-licence.

fi · 23-01-2009 8:30am

I honestly have not asked where he lives

i think somewhere near cherbourge.

we also didnt ask where he was getting the wine either as its not our problem now lol but we are only getting i think 60 bottles of each as the hotel has recommended half a bottle per person and we are only having a small wedding, we have yet to work out how far a bottle of Champers will go as we are having that for the toast, [pink of course!!!]

we worked out if we were to buy a round we took the adverage price of a drink and it was something like €600 i would have to check my file at home, and to buy the wine will be about €300 so a no brainer i think....

off topic my bridesmaid dresses have arrived!!!!!

:):)
getting so excited

Getting Reception Wine from France.

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