Corporate · board dinner, AGM dinner
Wine for a board dinner or AGM dinner: few bottles, the right ones
Thirty guests, a dinner that matters, people who know what they are drinking. It is not a question of quantity: three cases for the aperitif, three for the table. It is a question of choice. The calculator is set to the “fine wine” level; the page says what that level really buys, and where it isn't needed.
The numbers for your dinner
Set for 30 guests, one hour of aperitif then a seated dinner, 80% drinking, fine-wine level. The “you don't need us” verdict kicks in below 12 bottles: at this volume, the choice matters more than the price list.
Classified-growth territory, without excess
A board dinner is the only corporate event where the wine is looked at. Not judged, looked at: the label is read, the vintage is commented on, someone at the table knows the château. So it is the moment for classified growths and mature wines, in small volume. For 30 guests of whom 24 drink, the model counts 8 raw bottles for the aperitif and 12 for dinner; the 10% margin and rounding up to cases of 6 per colour take it to 36: 6 sparkling, 12 white, 6 rosé, 12 red. The rosé can be dropped without regret for a board dinner, and the whites are split between the aperitif and the starter.
The aperitif
Big-house champagne, or a fine dry white Pessac-Léognan that surprises more than the expected bubbles. One hour, two glasses per drinker.
The starter
A white Pessac-Léognan or Graves, 3 to 6 years old. It is the wine that shows some thought has gone into it: everyone is expecting a red.
The main course and the cheese
Two reds, not one: a mature Médoc classified growth with the main course, a younger Saint-Émilion or Pomerol with the cheese. Or the other way round, depending on the menu.
The “fine wine” budget
About €40 per guest in wine, with champagne and classified growths. The “good” level comes down to €15 a head for the same quantities; between the two, the real question is the main course.
What the budget really buys
At €40 a bottle, you buy a Médoc classified growth from a recent vintage or a cru bourgeois from a great vintage at maturity. At €80, a classified growth from a great vintage that is ready to drink. Beyond that, the price pays for rarity more than for pleasure at the table. The vintages to drink in 2026 page says which are in their window today: a mature 2010 or 2015 will make more of an impression than a too-young 2020 at twice the price.
The smartest buy for this dinner is often the second wine of a great château: same estate, same team, a third of the price, and a name the table recognises. To choose between Médoc, Saint-Émilion and Pessac depending on the menu, the which Bordeaux page works for a board dinner as well as for a wedding: the same appellations, in fewer bottles.
| Level | Price / bottle | Total 36 btl | Per guest | What it is |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Good | €14–32 | ≈ €560 | ≈ €19 | Crus bourgeois, white Pessac, merchant-label champagne. |
| Fine wine | €32–45 | ≈ €1,240 | ≈ €41 | Recent classified growths, second wines of first growths, big-house champagne. |
| Maturity | €60–120 | ≈ €2,500 | ≈ €85 | Classified growths from great vintages, ready to drink. On quotation, depending on stock. |
How many bottles for a dinner for 30 people?
About twenty raw, 36 rounded up to cases per colour, with one hour of aperitif: 6 sparkling, 12 white, 6 rosé, 12 red. Without rosé and with a single white, 24 to 30 bottles are enough. The calculator removes whatever you untick.
Do you need a grand cru classé across the whole table?
No. One great wine with the main course, surrounded by good, well-judged wines, makes more of an impression than a uniform level. The table notices one wine; it doesn't compare four labels.
Which vintage to serve at a board dinner?
A mature vintage, not a young, expensive one. A classified growth from 2010, 2014 or 2015 drinks well today; a 2019 or 2020 will need another five years and will taste hard at the table. Availability by vintage is on quotation.
Can the VAT on this dinner be recovered?
A board dinner or AGM dinner is a reception in the company's interest: VAT on the wine is in principle deductible, with the invoice in the company's name and the list of attendees. Your accountant will confirm; the corporate event page sums up the rule.
The mistakes that show
- A red that is too young. The most recent vintage is rarely the best to drink. At this dinner, maturity is worth more than the prestige of the year.
- The same wine from start to finish. Thirty people over three hours want a progression: white, then red, then a second red or a sweet wine with the cheese.
- Too many bottles. At this price level, one case too many costs €400. The calculator's margin is 10%, and unopened cases are not taken back.
Ready to price it? Quote request, reply within 48 working hours with the vintages available.