Best wines for picnics

Best wines for a picnic

June 16th, 2023 | Mary Domange

Best wines for picnics! 🌿

Is there anything nicer than an easy picnic with a glass of wine on a summer's day? I think not.

Clearly you can take any wine that hits your spot to a picnic and pair it with the food you've prepared - but here are a few tips and tricks I've learnt over many years of drinking outdoors.

Screwcaps are heaven sent

There are some wonderful wines with screwcaps in place of corks these days - check out our Pinot Grigio single vineyard 2021, Hilltop (£10.45) or our Nero D'Avola DOC Sicilia 2021 (£11.95).

Red wine lovers

Go for something a little lighter than usual and serve it slightly chilled. Nothing worse than an overheated bottle of wine - of any colour. My red wines of choice for summer are our organic Valpolicella DOC Classico Le Filagne 2021 from Le Bertarole (£13.80) or if you want to go up a notch our Saumur Champigny AOC Cuvee de Bruyn Vieilles Vignes 2020, Domaine du Fondis (£17.75) is another winner.

Think about the picnic food you are taking

Match the strength of the wine with the food as far as possible. Don't expect a dry, crisp Sauvignon to strut its stuff with a sausage roll, but do not forget the forgiving power of Rosé that will work with lots of things from a bag of crisps to spicy jerk chicken - which incidentally works a treat with our Rosé Syrah IGP Pays d'Oc 2020, Nouveau Monde (£11.20).

As a rule of thumb, the wine should be of a similar 'weight' to the food. So red will usually work better with richer meats such as sausages, salami and pork ribs - but an aromatic white or a glass of fizz might add a refreshing twist to salty foods including parma ham, prosciuto and olives.

We are particularly partial to a glass of ice cold Chardonnay with a good cheese sandwich too - preferably made with some mature cheddar. Try our Chardonnay IGP Pays d'Oc 2020 for a perfect combo - and it has a screw cap!

Don't forget the sparkling!

Finally, don't forget the statutory bottle of bubbles. Whether you go for a pink fizz, a bottle of proper Champagne or a light Prosecco, a glass of bubbles adds pizazz to even the humblest of picnics. A tub of hummous, some breadsticks and a bottle of Prosecco DOC Vino Frizzante, Tonon would suit any situation. And to make it even more perfect - it has a flip top cap for easy opening and you can shut it again - in the unlikely even there is some left in the bottle.

(And don't forget the coolers!)