Here at Bon Coeur/Cellar 21, we are surrounded by some of the most beautiful countryside North Yorkshire has to offer, and with summer finally upon us, our thoughts naturally turn to the joy of the picnic.
It is important to choose the right styles of wine to go with your outdoor feast. Above all, picnic wines should be, fun, quaffable, refreshing and robust. The finest that Burgundy or Bordeaux have to offer are simply not up to the job, bearing in mind that most will be drunk from paper cups after being carried for some distance! Red wines should be light, low in tannin and have little or no oak. Whites should have good acidity with appealing aromas and roses can really show their elegance. It is also worth picking out bottles with screw caps to make matters easier, and lighter bottles are always a good idea.
Picnic menus can range from a simple pork pie or sausage roll to delicious salads, quiches, dips, cheeses and charcuterie, meaning the wines you choose need to be very versatile
Try some of these suggestions to help make your picnic just that bit more memorable…
Refreshing Rose to accompany seafood salads, olives, poached chicken or egg mayonnaise.
M de Minuty Rose, Cotes de Provence, France 2023
The archetypal Provencal rose. Pale pink with generous aromas of red berries. Clean, fresh and dry with lots of fresh raspberry and strawberry flavours, complimented by crisp acidity and a wonderful, mineral finish.
Cramele Recas Umbrele Pinot Noir Rose, Romania 2022
Made with grapes harvested in the early morning to retain their pure fruit character, this wine has a beautiful pink hue. On the palate, it has a creamy texture with summer berries and a little hint of cherries. Refreshing, bright acidity with a hint of white pepper make this wine great to drink outdoors.
Lip-smacking whites to slurp with grilled vegetables, quiches, Boquerones, and salty cheeses… think Greek Feta and spinach pie!
Txomin Extaniz Txakoli Blanco, Basque Country, Spain 2022
Txakoli hails from the Basque Country of northern Spain, long appreciated for its food culture. This is the epitome of a picnic wine. Packed with green apple, zesty lemon and aromatic white blossom flavours all finished by a slight saline edge. With a touch of effervescence and great acidity it is as clean and crisp as you could wish for. A truly refreshing wine.
Villa Wolf Riesling Dry, Pfalz, Germany 2020
Attractive nose of ripe lemon and crunchy green apple. Vibrant and energetic on the palate with racy, fresh acidity that provides drive and focus, flowing through onto a core of further ripe citrus and green fruits with added white pepper on the long finish. It’s time to make friends with German Riesling!
Juicy reds to partner traditional British classics - pies, pickles, Scotch eggs and sausage rolls. Your charcuterie will really come to life with these too!
Santa Tresa Rina Russa Frappato, Sicily, Italy 2022
Sicily’s favourite wine, found in Trattoria all over the island. Juicy, low in tannins and very moreish. Taste the sunshine… strawberries, cherries and bright red berries in abundance backed up with a little spice. A lovely silky texture from lees ageing in stainless steel. A touch of orange peel and a hint of nutmeg on the finish make this the perfect accompaniment to salamis, Mortadella and prosciutto.
Stephane Avrion Chenas Vieilles Vignes, Burgundy, France 2020
Made from 100% Gamay grown on old vines (some of which are over 100 years old!), this Beaujolais is as characterful as it is delicious. Vibrant, ripe red berry nose. Wonderful energy with loads of vibrant fruit dancing across the palate. Pleasantly cleansing tannins and an uplifting, crisp finish. If you are picnicking by a river or a lake, try cooling it slightly for about 30 minutes to emphasise its refreshing style.
