How Many Bottles of Wine Should I Plan for 30, 60 or 100 People?

When planning an event, whether it's a small get-together with friends, a wedding, or a buffet, planning the right amount of wine is part of the logistics.

No one wants to run out of wine in the middle of a meal or, less seriously, end up with too much.

But then, how do you determine the right number of bottles of wine? For 30, 60 or 100 people?
Let's take a moment to explore together the best practices for successful evenings with complete peace of mind.

Why Estimate the Right Quantity of Wine?

The Risks of a Wine Shortage or Surplus

Picture the scene: your guests raise their glasses to toast, and then, shockingly, there's not a drop of wine left! This can spoil the atmosphere, or even make your event lose some of its prestige. Conversely, finding yourself with a cellar overloaded with unconsumed bottles, especially if they're not suitable for long-term storage, is also problematic.
A fair balance must therefore be found .

How to Calculate the Number of Bottles of Wine Needed?

How Many Glasses Can You Serve With A Bottle of Wine?

A classic 75cl bottle of wine serves approximately 6 125ml glasses.
But be careful, the size of the glass can influence the quantity.

If you serve in generous glasses or if your guests prefer to fill their glasses to the brim, the number of glasses per bottle may decrease.

To avoid any confusion, plan to use glasses that are suitable for the wine you are going to serve.

How Much Wine Should I Plan Per Person?

For a Sit-Down Meal

At a sit-down meal, each guest typically consumes 2 to 3 glasses of wine, or half a bottle per person.
If you serve red wine for the main course and white or rosé wine for the starter, allow one bottle for 2 people.

For a Dinner Buffet

At a buffet, guests often prefer to try several drinks.
In this case, plan on 1 to 2 glasses per person.

This corresponds to 1 bottle for 3 to 4 people, because not everyone will necessarily have a glass in hand at all times.

How Much Wine to Plan for Different Types of Events?

Family or Friends Evenings

For a small party, a good calculation is to prepare 1 bottle for 3 people.
This covers the needs for the entire evening, even if your guests have an extra glass of white wine or a glass of red wine.

Weddings

For a reception, the average consumption is 1 to 2 glasses per person.
If you opt for champagne or sparkling wine, one bottle of champagne serves 6 glasses.
So plan on about 2 glasses per guest.

During the meal, allow 1 bottle for 2 people.
If the meal includes several dishes, vary the pleasures: white wine for the fish, red wine for the meat, and why not a rosé for the starter.
Also think of champagne lovers for cheese and dessert!

And for a tasting?

Tastings and Themed Evenings

During tastings, we prefer smaller quantities but there is generally plenty of choice.
3 to 4 small glasses per person are enough, because the goal is to enjoy, not to consume in large quantities.

By the way, you can find our tasting calendar by clicking here .

Factors to Consider When Evaluating Wine Quantities

A one-hour aperitif will obviously not have the same needs as a dance party that ends at dawn.
For long events, plan on one bottle for every 2 people and add a safety margin.

Do your guests prefer wine?
If the majority of them are fans of good wines, you may need to adjust your forecasts upwards.
For a more mixed audience, don't forget other drinks like water, soft drinks or even beer.

Adapt your selection according to the season.
In summer, guests often opt for a rosé wine or a glass of chilled white wine.
In winter, red wine goes best with hearty dishes.

How to Choose the Right Wine for Your Event?

The Basics of Food and Wine Pairing

The choice of type of wine is as important as the quantity.

To put it simply, choose red wine for red meat and white wine for fish or fresh cheese.

On this subject, we have given our opinion on some agreements in the blog section .
Please feel free to take a look.

Formats to Consider: Bottles, Cubis and Magnums

If your event is bringing together a large number of guests, opt for magnums or cubis, which are more economical and practical to serve.

These formats not only reduce costs, but also simplify service management, especially when the number of guests exceeds thirty.

A magnum, equivalent to two standard bottles, is perfect for large tables.
Cubis, on the other hand, offer an excellent solution for buffets or extended events, with a capacity of up to 3 or 5 liters of wine.

In addition, these formats avoid untimely breakages during service.
This way you can spend more time enjoying your guests and less time opening bottles.

What Drinks Should You Pack Besides Wine?

To vary the pleasures, consider including:

• Still and sparkling water : essential.
• Beers and a few bottles of spirits : to give your guests a choice.
• Champagne or sparkling wine : for special occasions.

To finish

Think about always allow a little margin to avoid stockouts.

And if you have any unopened bottles, you can save them for another occasion.

You are now ready to prepare a successful event!

Don't hesitate to contact us for your next event, whether it's to advise you on the best food and wine pairing or to supply you with bottles, magnums or boxes. 🍷