Picnic and Wine: The Best Pairings to Enjoy the Beautiful Days

The sun is back, checkered tablecloths resurface, and the desire to escape with a well-stocked basket is felt. What about picnic and wine? Because there's more than just still water or lukewarm beer to take along, wine has its place in your outdoor lunches... provided you choose wisely.

Here are our simple and well-thought-out tips for pairing wine and picnics without a false note — whether in a park, at the beach, or at the summit of a hike.

Which Wines for a Picnic?

🎯 Freshness, Lightness, Accessibility

The idea isn't to bring out a grand cru or an ultra-complex bottle. We focus on wines that are easy to drink, at a cool temperature, with good drinkability. In short: not too alcoholic, not too woody, and especially not too heavy.

Here are our best allies:

🟠 Rosés

Essential! A good Provence wine, like a Côtes de Provence or a Baux de Provence AOC will be perfect to accompany an entire summer meal.

🟢 Dry and Lively Whites

A Muscadet, a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, a Corsican or Italian Vermentino, a dry Chenin... They are ideal with salads, cold fish, fresh cheeses, or seafood rillettes.

🔴 Light Reds

Yes, you can also bring red! But rather light, fruity, served slightly chilled: think Beaujolais (Gamay), Burgundy or New Zealand Pinot Noir, or even Cinsault. For original alternatives, opt for an Italian Dolcetto or an Australian Grenache from old vines.

Simple and Smart Pairings

A picnic is often a mix of small things to nibble on. The important thing is to find a wine flexible enough to follow the movement.

Here are some ideas:

  • A vegetable quiche or a savory cake pairs very well with a light rosé or a dry and lively white, like a Sauvignon Blanc, a Vermentino, or an Italian Verdicchio.
  • A tomato salad, tabbouleh, or well-seasoned raw vegetables call for aromatic and thirst-quenching white wines, like a New Zealand Sauvignon, a fruity rosé, or even an Italian Falanghina.
  • If you slip fresh or goat cheeses into your basket, think of a Muscadet, a dry Chenin Blanc, or a slightly chilled light Pinot Noir.
  • For charcuterie lovers (cured ham, terrine, rillettes), a Beaujolais, a Sicilian Frappato, or a Cinsault from Languedoc will do perfectly.
  • A nice piece of cold chicken, or hand-carved roast poultry, will pair as well with a gastronomic rosé as with a low-tannin red, served slightly chilled.
  • And to finish on a sweet note with a fruit tart, melon, or plain strawberries, go for a sweet rosé, a Clairette de Die, or a very light semi-sweet white.

How to Keep Your Wine Fresh During the Picnic?

Small logistical point: wine, especially white or rosé, should be served cool (about 50-54°F). Some practical tips:

  • Use an insulated bag or a soft cooler
  • Slip in one or two ice packs or frozen water bottles
  • Even better: invest in a bottle cooler!
  • Avoid exposing bottles to direct sunlight
  • If you walk before picnicking, wrap the bottle in a damp cloth: the wind will do the rest

And if you have a thermos that keeps cold... it's not just for coffee!

And Practically: Which Bottles to Bring?

For a hassle-free lunch on the grass, here are three suggestions:

  • A screw-cap wine bottle: the screw cap changes your life during an outing! No risk of spilling the bottle in the basket, no need to bring a corkscrew, and in terms of preservation, the quality is there.
  • The half-bottle (375ml): the perfect light format for a picnic for two
  • PET or aluminum bottles: more resistant and lightweight, less risk of breakage

The important thing is that it's good and easy to transport. No need to complicate life too much.

Wine Accessories: The Little Extras for a Top Picnic

Here's the checklist for a successful wine picnic:

✅ A corkscrew if you haven't opted for a screw-cap bottle
✅ Unbreakable or reusable glasses
✅ A small cloth for wiping and keeping cool
✅ A bottle cooler to put in the freezer the day before the picnic
✅ A portable wine aerator, the little extra that allows you to oxygenate the wine without a decanter or energetic wrist swirling, sometimes acrobatic when you're 10 squeezed onto a blanket...

The Vinodelice Selection for Picnics Where Wine Doesn't Stay at the Bottom of the Basket

Combining wine and picnic is simple, joyful, and perfect for beautiful days. Just prioritize freshness, lightness, and simplicity. A fruity rosé, a lively dry white, or a supple red can transform a break on the grass into a real moment of pleasure.

So, what are you preparing in your basket for this weekend?

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