I had in mind a somewhat more, umm, explicit correspondence between the wine and the pieces.  Don't forget that except for the pawns, the player doesn't know the piece represented by any given glass of wine.

So I had in mind something like:

White knights = Chevalier Montrachet 
White bishops = Châteauneuf du Pape blanc
White queen = Château Caillou Cuvée Reine
White king = Tokaj ("Le vin des rois, le roi des vins" - Louis XIV)

Black knights = Cheval Blanc (which is a red wine)
Black bishops = either Mercurey 1er Cru Clos l'Evêque or Château la Tour de L'Évêque
Black queen = Mordorée Reine des Bois
Black king = Beaune 1er Cru, Clos du Roi

Various Torres wines could be suggested for the rooks (the house logo is a fortified tower), but that might be a little unsubtle.  In any case, I'm not sure that it would be possible to identify a wine by its négociant.

I had to throw out Chateauneuf du Pape rouge for the black bishops because the Reine des Bois is a Chateauneuf du Pape.

True, Hg, it could get very expensive.  But then at least you don't have to buy expensive gear every season for your youngster, as many Americans do with (American) football or hockey.  

The game would be illegal for players under 21!

I am curious to see what our sommelier friends in France would include in the list.  

(I feel like my list is lacking a bit because it has so few New World wines.)

If a mere bishop is a chateauneuf, doesn't give much room for the stronger pieces.

Only a Yank would consider serving all the wines in identical glasses!

Perhaps: 

Black pawns: French table wine (plentiful, with a lust to expand!)

Black Rooks could be Chianti or a Rioja

Black knights: A California Cab

Black Bishops: Tuscan (price range would determine what sort!)

Black Queen: Margaux (of course!)

Black King: doesn't matter since it's never taken.  In which case, a port, which looks and smells better than it tastes anyway.

White: 

Pawns: Cavit Pinot Grigio

Rooks: Riesling

Knights: Chardonnay (California for blitz chess, Burgundy for serious games)

Bishops: (Ideally French) Chenin Blanc 

Queen: Champagne 

King: Well, the king of white wines is the Chablis.  for people with more sense than money, perhaps a muscat d'oro, or a nice Yalumba tawny port?

Truth in advertising: I too am American. 




(I know, it's a beer smiley.  But the sentiment's right!)

I could see a lot of minor piece sacrifices for 3 pawns...