Wine Tips For Picnic Season This Spring & Summer
Written by Andrea Morris
After numerous false alarms, it’s finally happening: picnic season has arrived! And no picnic is complete without a little wine. Now, any wine is better than no wine, but there are some that will be more successful than others. Read on for some hot tips to have chill time with some wine in your local park.
Before getting into what's in the bottle, make sure you have your mise en place, which is restaurant speak for having everything you need ready to go. For this project you’ll need cups, a corkscrew and something to keep your wine chilled. For cups, I favor cheap stemless wine glasses. Cheap in case there's an accident; stemless because stems are much more likely to have said accident, plus stemless is easier to balance on uneven ground and less likely to blow over if it’s windy. Yes, plastic would be easier and less risky, but wine just tastes better out of glass and it’s more sustainable. I keep them safe by wrapping them up in kitchen towels that can double as napkins. If you plan on walking with your wine, these travel cups are ideal and they will also work well for cocktails or coffee. For corkscrews I tend to go cheap here as well, since they tend to work just as well as expensive ones - Pulltap is a perennial favorite. You could plan on bringing only sparkling and screw cap wines which would eliminate the need for a corkscrew, but the chances of someone in your party needing one are high, and nobody wants to be that person in the park asking strangers for help opening their bottle. As for keeping the wine cold, there’s a few approaches to take, depending on the situation. For red, on a cooler day you might not need anything. For a chilled red or rich white, a simple neoprene sleeve should do the trick. For white, rose or sparkling on a hot day, these are a little bulky but effective. Alternatively, you can pour your chilled wine into a large thermos if you’re going somewhere especially hot and sunny. I’ve kept champagne both cold and bubbly for hours on the beach in a Swell bottle - it’s impressive!
On to the fun stuff. As with any wine pairing, the most important thing is to pick a wine that you love. That said, there are some wines that tend to pair especially well with both classic picnic foods and also the general vibe. This is not the time for anything too fancy, and I tend to go for lower alcohol choices since it’s probably mid-day and hot out - I’m not trying to end up sweaty and drunk at 5pm. For outdoor potluck gatherings, choose something extra versatile such as a crisp white or rosé since it will pair with just about anything, assuming your friends didn’t bring their leftover pot roast. Txakoli from the Basque region of Spain is a great choice for a hot day - spritzy and bright, it’s basically the wine version of lemonade. Ameztoi Rosato is always my favorite, plus bonus points for being under screw cap. Champagne or other high quality sparkling is always a winner as well since the bubbles and acid make it both refreshing but able to stand up to whatever you throw at it. For a casual take, try an Austrian Sekt made from Grüner Veltliner like this one from Szigeti, a winery totally dedicated to making traditional method sparkling wine. For a more celebratory occasion, Bereche Brut Reserve is made by one of the most sought after Champagne producers and is still a great value. For a fun red, I love a slightly funky, juicy Chilean Pipeño, a style originally created for vineyard workers to drink while picking grapes.
If you’re going with a classic French or Italian spread of cured meats and cheeses, carry the theme on with the wine. Fiano, like Ciro Picariello’s 906, from Campania has a little smokiness from the volcanic soil it’s grown in that keeps it interesting while still being incredibly food friendly and drinkable, perfect for some caprese salad (also native to Campania). For something French, break out some dry Chenin Blanc like the charming Montlouis by Rocher des Violettes the golden apple and crisp acidity make it a dream cheese pairing, especially with fresh cheeses like chèvre. If you’re feeling red wine, reach for something lighter like this floral and soft Sicilian Frappato from COS or Gamay from Beaujolais like this pretty one from the cru village of Fleurie by Domaine de Robert. This is also the perfect time to break out the Lambrusco - it’s native to Emilia-Romana, home of Prosciutto and Parmigiano-Reggiano, so it is literally designed to go with salty, savory snacks.
Europe is certainly not the only theme for a picnic. I love grabbing a bahn mi on my way to the park, or maybe even an order of pad Thai. In this case, a little sweetness goes a long way. I love a pet nat to break up the richness of pate and calm the spice. Grange Tiphaine’s Rosa, Rose, Rosam is fizzy, deep pink with just a speck of sweetness without being cloying-the perfect park wine if you ask me. This is also the perfect time to experiment with Riesling. If sweetness is scary, try one from Australia like the neon lime super bright dry Riesling from Pewsey Vale in Eden Valley. For a touch of sweetness balanced by serious acid, look to the Pfalz for Dr. Bürklin-Wolf’s Ruppertsberger Dry Riesling, with notes of juicy white peach and lots of minerality.
At the end of the day, a perfect picnic wine is refreshing, easy drinking and very food friendly. Go to your favorite local wine shop and chat with them about what you’re planning to eat and what you’re in the mood to drink. Bring some cheap glasses that will feel good to drink out of and don’t forget your corkscrew, water, and sunscreen!