Life's a Picnic - wines for summer parties

With the summer now in full swing, post Wimbledon, with Goodwood and Glyndbourne the event horizon, my thoughts naturally turn to picnics.

I just love picnics, but not the meagre gritty, sandy, sandwich and sausage roll, eaten off paper plates with plastic cutlery variety; rather a ‘proper’ picnic, complete with posh hamper, National Trust tartan rug, fine china and crystal glasses. I’m thinking Manet’s ‘Dejeuner sur l’Herbe’ or the picnic scene in D H Lawrence’s ‘Women in Love’, along with a wind-up gramaphone ….. and shock, horror, wines with a Stelvin Closure, otherwise known as a screw cap to you and me. Ideal, no corkscrew required.

Picnics need to be portable, and so should the wine. Traditionally associated with cheap quaffing wines, the New World has embraced the screw cap, meaning it’s no longer a barrier to quality. These wines however, are not for ageing, rather to be drunk today, in a shaded, tranquil, bucolic spot, preferably beside a lake.

Choosing a picnic wine can be challenging, as picnic fare tends to include everything, from rich, fatty foods to sharp acidic flavours. These tastes are frequently pulling the palate in two different directions; so picking a suitable wine gives reason to pause.

Think cool, crisp white or rosé, carried in a freezer sleeve to keep it cool. Look for varietal wines, that are bright, acidic, with crisp citrus fruit and minerality, they make the food come to life, refreshing the palate.

Rosé wines are of course the quintessential summer wine, perfect for quaffing, and offering melon and strawberry characteristics that pair well with many food types.

Want to keep the crowd happy? Variety is the spice of life, so invest in a selection of mini bottles, so that everyone, no matter their preference, can imbibe as much or as little as they want. M&S do a wide range, often in plastic bottles, and although I usually frown on the use of plastic many of you will be much more safety conscious than I am. Don’t forget to take your litter home! Now, where is my hat?

I hesitate to recommend supermarket wines as often they’re on the shelf one week and gone the next, but give these a try for a refreshing summer thirst-quencher.

Clocktower, Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough NZ - 2012 - 13.5% - £12.99

Vibrant, lively and crisp, it will go well with asparagus, prawns, fennel salad.......

Ferricrete Riesling, Paul Cluver, Elgin, South Africa – 2011 – 11% - £12.99  

One of the first wine estates to initiative a black empowerment scheme – off dry with strong lime and herbal overtones. A versatile wine, it goes well with seafood and spicy salads, sushi, carpaccio, grilled white meats.

Alvarinho Vinho Verde, Tercius, Portugal – 2011 - 12.5% - £10.99  

Exactly the same grape as Albariño but grown in Portugal, as opposed to Spain. One of the key grapes in vinho verde, but often blended with other grapes. This is typically floral in character, with fresh lime and pear notes, and a palate-cleansing minerality. 

Chapel Down English Rose, Tenterden, Kent  - 2012 - 11% - £12.99

Think strawberries and red currants – summer pudding in a glass. Delicate and soft on the palate, with enticing fruit characters and well balanced acidity. Great served with salmon or tuna salad on a hot summer afternoon.

If all else fails – then Pimms will do the job nicely, try it made with ginger ale or sparkling wine instead of the usual lemonade. Cheers!