Wedding Tips & Advice

Wedding Desserts

Saving the Best for Last

When selecting food and wine pairings for receptions, keep in mind that wine pairs perfectly with dessert - and it's fun to "marry" the unexpected, such as wine and wedding cakes at receptions. Couples often pair wedding cake with champagne, but a sweet cake can exaggerate the champagne's acidity and leave a bitter taste. A rich chocolate cake, for example, calls for a bold and velvety red wine to complement and enhance the full flavor of the chocolate.

While choosing the wine to serve with cake, keep in mind complementing aromas, textures and dominant flavors. The main cue in wine pairing is the type of sauce or spice used on each dish, and the same goes with dessert. Focus on the strongest flavors, particularly the frosting and filling:

Dessert	Paired Wine
Lemon, mango, apricot or melon filling	Mirassou California Sauvignon Blanc
Butter cream or coconut cream filling	Mirassou Monterey County Chardonnay
Vanilla or almond flavored cake	Mirassou Monterey County Chardonnay
Carrot or spice cakes	Mirassou Monterey County Riesling
Berry filling	Mirassou California Pinot Noir
Chocolate filling or frosting	Mirassou California Merlot
Chocolate cake	Mirassou California Cabernet Sauvignon
Mocha or espresso filling	Mirassou California Cabernet Sauvignon

Here are some innovative cake ideas that you may want to try:

Square-shaped cakes are becoming more popular. Balance out the clean lines of the angular cake with an ornate, vintage cake topper.
Ivory butter cream icing is still a classic, and can be modernized with accents of black icing. Another alternative is a platinum icing base.
Traditional cake flavors, such as chocolate cake with butter cream filling, and white cake with white chocolate filling and fresh berries, are always delicious.
Exotic flavors are not a good idea unless you are getting married in a tropical location - then it's okay to experiment with passion fruit or flavors indigenous to the area.
Many of today's cakes are being lavishly adorned with lots and lots of flowers.
The cake's stand or display table should not be forgotten, but also shouldn't take away from the cake. Simple treatments like ribbon trim or rose petals strewn around the entire table will enhance the presentation.

For some, dessert is becoming more important than the entrée. For example, couples are setting up unique areas devoted to the sweet tooth, or choosing desserts based on their color theme or childhood favorites. You can create a dessert bar filled with traditional cakes, cookies and ice cream, and even set up a "candy shop" table complete with old-fashioned glass jars. Bottom line: if you have fun with the dessert, your guests will too.

Featured Wine: Chardonnay

Our Mirassou® Monterey County Chardonnay balances intense fruit flavors with delicate aromas and subtle hints of oak that pair perfectly with you wedding cake.

Featured Wine: Riesling

Our Mirassou® Monterey County Riesling is made in a bright, fruit-forward style that pairs well with a variety of wedding desserts.