Hamper heaving with delicious goodies – check. Your finest woollen picnic rug – check. Now that the sun has got its hat on, however briefly and following the trudge down to Boots, you’ve slapped on the factor 50, possibly because your mother has been badgering you to do so! This all begs the question which summer tipples should you fit into those gaps at the bottom the wicker basket? It might have taken you ages to hunt down the picnic rug, only to find it needs a clean, plus the resident house spider has decided to call it home during the winter!
Due to the rise in popularity of the need for ‘wine on the go’, you no longer have to faff around with, firstly finding the corkscrew and then secondly attempting to remove the cork from the bottle whilst the rest of your picnic-goers look on forlornly. Someone even messaged me the other day with the news that she had successfully removed the cork with a table fork! Coupled with the growing demand for box wine, a category which has been firmly in the shade for several years and is now growing in popularity due to ease and convenience of that simple closure – a tap.
For me, picnic wines should be a wonderful spectrum of delicious refreshers including red, white, rosé, and some lovely bubbly. Fun and easy styles blossoming with fruitfulness and low alcohol are a safe bet, plus fizz is easy to open, an instant winner!
Here’s a selection of my top tipples for picnic perfection:
When in Rome Falanghina 2.25L, Italy
Restaurants around the bay of Naples, and as far away as Rome, serve Falanghina as their house white. Fruity and refreshing, it is coastal Southern Italy in a glass. This showstopper of a white, with notes of citrus fruits and white flowers is delicious with light bites such as pork pies and sausage rolls.
Gigglewater Vino Frizzante Bianco NV
Fabulous fizz with the ease of opening a can. Fresh, light and fruity, this portable bubbly is named after from the 1920’s term meaning alcoholic beverage. Perfect for sipping in the sun.
Terre di Faiano Organic Primitivo, Italy
If you’ve previously saved some left over barbecued food such as chargrilled burgers, chicken wings or sausages then this spicy and rich red from southern Italy is a perfect match. Brimming with fruit, it also pairs beautifully with cheeses such as Wensleydale with cranberries.
Harry Brompton’s Premium Alcoholic London Ice Tea
This refreshing blend of black teas grown in Kenya’s Great Rift Vallery provide the perfect tipple for lovers of this Great British favourite. My nan first got me into tea although it was ladened with milk and lashings of sugar. I’m not sure she would favour this, although there’s still time! A great alternative to other spirit-based drinks.
Pedrino Ruby & Tonic
Here’s twist on the popular PX-based drink which has been a spectacular success since its launch. Port may not be the first drink that springs to mind when it comes to picnic drinking but this
wonderful and refreshing, ruby-based drink its bursting full of summer pudding notes and is sublime when served chilled.
Calvet Wine & Go Sauvignon Blanc, France
Here’s a quirky idea! A bottle and glass all in one, what more could you ask for? Calvet Limited Release is a premium cuvée showcasing the very best Sauvignon Blanc fruit. It’s a crisp, fresh and zesty white wine with flavours of citrussy fruit and apples together with an attractive slightly herbal note.
