Wine for confirmation

Confirmation is one of the big Danish celebrations — and the wine selection can certainly cause some wrinkled brows. You need to find wines that suit many different dishes, appeal to guests with widely different tastes, and that don't break the budget when many bottles need to be purchased.

The good news: it's not that difficult at all. With three good bottles — a red wine, a white wine and a sparkling — you're covered for almost any confirmation menu.

Sparkling wine for welcome

Start the party with a glass of sparkling wine. It's festive, universally loved and works with almost all confirmation starters. You don't need to serve real Champagne for everyone — a good Cava from Spain (60-100 kr) or a Crémant from France (80-120 kr) are excellent choices that save money without compromising quality.

White wine for starter and fish

For the classic confirmation starter — shrimp, salmon or other seafood — a fresh white wine is perfect. A Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand or Loire or a Pinot Grigio from Northern Italy works for most things. See guide to wine with fish for more inspiration.

Red wine for the main course

For the classic confirmation main course — beef, lamb or pork — a soft, fruity red wine is the safest choice. Avoid very tannic wines that can seem harsh to guests who don't drink much red wine regularly.

• For beef: A soft Merlot or Malbec from Argentina
• For lamb: A Rioja Crianza or Côtes du Rhône. See wine with lamb.
• For pork: A fruity Pinot Noir or light Syrah

How many bottles should you buy?

A good rule of thumb for parties is half a bottle per guest over a 3-4 hour dinner — that equals 3-4 glasses. Buy a little extra as buffer. For 30 guests you typically need 15-20 bottles in total divided between red wine and white wine.

Budget tips

For a party with many guests it's wise to focus on the best in the price range 80-150 kr rather than buying few bottles of expensive wine. A good Côtes du Rhône for 90 kr is far better than a mediocre Bordeaux for 200 kr.