The sun has got his hat on and he’s coming out play, so it’s time to find the tartan rug and head outside for a picnic. Whether you’re going to Belsay or Big Meeting, summer is the time for drinking al fresco.
The tradition of dining outdoors is an English innovation, with the 18th Century French pique-nique being an indoor affair with an extravagant meal which each guest contributed a dish or a drink to.
French aristocrats fleeing the revolution brought the pique-nique to London, founding London’s Pic Nic Society in 1801. Each member was required to bring along a dish and six bottles of wine for an indoor extravaganza.
As the 19th Century progressed, high society took the picnic outside to events such as the Epsom Derby. Mrs Beeton’s Book of Household Management includes a picnic menu of four roast fowl and two roast duck, which certainly beats Scotch eggs and a soggy sandwich!
Whatever food you’re including in your picnic spread, I have a few suggestions to bear in mind when selecting an appropriate wine.
First, you’re outside, relaxing, chatting and having fun so choose a wine that suits the mood. Select something swiggable; a picnic is not the place to crack open your very best bottle.
Gamay – the red grape of Beaujolais – is my go-to grape for picnic wine. The fresh, fruity and light wine pairs perfectly with picnic picky bits.
The Beaujolais wine region offers plenty of choice and great value for money. You can keep it quaffable with a Beaujolais or Beaujolais Villages from the south of the region, or choose a more concentrated wine from one of the 10 named villages in the north – including Fleurie, Morgon, and Moulin a Vent.
Beaujolais also has the advantage of being a wine that can be enjoyed cellar cool and comes to no great harm as the day and the wine warm up.
A simple, fruity red is the choice of VIN owner Charlotte Fenwick, who says: “Whenever we have a picnic we keep it super simple – and very French – with a baguette; a soft cheese, something like Brillat Savarin which is very easy to spread with no knife required; and a bag of Brets crisps. For the wine, I’d pick a juicy red with enough acidity to cut through the richness of the cheese. My top pick would be La Ficelle, a blend of Gamay and Pinot Noir – a vin de soif, thirst quenching and quaffable on a warm day.”
A dry rosé also has the versatility to pair well with a picnic.
Phil Richardson from District in Whitley Bay agrees. “For picnics, I always suggest rosé as a versatile food wine,” he says. “I wouldn’t go super light Provence; I prefer something with a little bit of depth. I like Lux Venit from Chaffey Bros – old vine Grenache and Mourvedre from Barossa in Australia. Wild ferment, unfined, with a little bit of French oak, this is a dry, textured wine that goes great with picnic food. At less than 13% alcohol it’s a sensible choice for daytime drinking, and the screw cap is useful for picnics of course.”
For those who prefer white or sparkling wine, serving temperature is a consideration. If lugging around an ice-filled cooler doesn’t appeal to you, there are wine-cooling gadgets on the market. Stainless-steel chilling sticks or cooling sleeves are easy to carry, or you could just wrap the bottle in wet newspaper. Better still, settle in a spot by a babbling brook or a handy rock pool.
David Grove, manager of Majestic in Hexham, chose a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc as his picnic wine. It was not just any old New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc though, he recommends The Ned 909 Summit Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc. “This is not your typical New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, the aromas are more peach than passion fruit, and there’s a touch of smokiness from barrel fermentation,” he says.
Meanwhile, Claire Carruthers – of Carruthers & Kent in Gosforth – can’t resist a bottle of sparkling wine with her picnic. “It’s always good to have fizz at a picnic,” she says. “The Peller Ice Cuvée from Canada has been infused with a touch of ice wine to give it a delicious touch of sweetness… Perfect to attract the wasps!”
When it comes to portability, cans are convenient, as are wine boxes, and the quality of wine available in both has improved dramatically recently.
Whatever your choice, make the most of our fleeting summer, grab your wine, and head into the great outdoors.
The Wine List
Collin-Bourisset L’Authentique Fleurie, France – Co-Op, £14.25
Saint-Pourçain La Ficelle, France – VIN, £14.75
Chaffey Bros Lux Venit, Australia – District, £25
The Ned 909 Summit Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, New Zealand – Majestic, £18
Peller Ice Cuvée, Canada – Carruthers & Kent, £39.49
David Harker’s journey in wine has seen him progress from complete novice to a Wine & Spirit Education Trust Diploma-certified wine educator, accredited Bordeaux and Sherry wine educator, Spanish Wine Scholar and – in a We Bought a Zoo moment – wine school owner. To explore Newcastle Wine School’s events, tastings and courses visit www.localwineschool.com/newcastle
