Words by Marianna Hunt
Gone are the days of stomaching cheap, lukewarm plonk with a pork pie. Britons are becoming increasingly discerning in their picnicking habits, investing in snazzy wine coolers and ergonomic cutlery sets.
A high-quality picnic set up needs high-quality food and wine matching. From English sparkling and caviar-egg mayo, to orange wine and halloumi salad, these are the 10 best gourmet pairings to impress friends and family.
Cosme Palacio Blanco Reserva Rioja 2018
This Spanish white is much more than a summer sipper. Grapes are hand-selected from vines that are 40+ years old – giving an intensity and richness that young ones simply can’t match.
It comes from one of the best sub-regions in Rioja and is aged for 24 months, including 10 months in oak barrels, to give extra texture and body.
One sniff of the luscious buttery notes will transport you to the doors of a bakery in Spain, as a little abuela brings out a wafting tray of freshly-baked goodness.
Complete the picture with some rich, buttery pastries. The cheese-stuffed empanadas from De Nadas (nationwide delivery available) would be perfect. Failing that, some homemade cheese quiches would do nicely too.
Price: £25.99
Where to buy: vinofandango.co.uk
Orange Natural Wine, Cramele Recas
Both orange wine and natural wine are having a bit of a moment – so this Romanian beauty is right on trend.
Orange wine is made from white grape juice but (unlike for whites), skins are left in for much of the winemaking process – giving it the structure and body you’d expect from a red wine.
Sharp and zingy – the taste has spikes of orange, quince and pear.
Serve up with a fresh, acidic salad made with carrots and fresh orange. Hunks of grilled halloumi on top will round everything off in a creamy, salty finish.
Price: £12
Where to buy: ocado.com
Château Peyrassol ‘XIIIE’ Organic Rosé 2023, Côtes de Provence
Forget Whispering Angel, this classy Provence rosé has a history going back to 1204, when the vineyard was first established by the Knights Templar.
It has all the delicacy and freshness you’d want from a great Provence rosé – think rose petals and fresh red fruits. But there’s enough structure that it’s not insipid. A slightly salty finish means you can practically taste the Mediterranean breeze blowing from nearby St Tropez.
The structure and salty endnote calls for some fine seafood. Wright Brothers – an online fishmonger loved by Michelin starred chefs – has one of the freshest selections going. Go for the mackerel paté, dressed crab and potted shrimp.
Price: £23.99
Where to buy: majestic.co.uk
Burn Valley Vineyard Chardonnay 2022
English sparkling is booming and yet the real jump in quality is arguably to be found in our still wines.
This Chardonnay – from Burn Valley in North Norfolk – won the Gold medal for best still wine in this year’s Independent English Wine Awards and it’s not hard to see why.
Winemaker Matt Abbey describes 2022 as “the ideal vintage” – with perfectly ripe fruit giving off honeysuckle, white peach and nectarine. The wine is aged for a while in oak – giving a slightly smokey intensity.
The oaky notes would work perfectly with smokey-umami dips (ideally aubergine based) – with the acidity of the wine to cut through their creamy textures. Pelagonia has a great selection. Mop both up with a spongy flatbread.
Price: £24.99
Where to buy: burnvalleyvineyard.co.uk
Champagne H Blin Rosé de Saignée NV Brut
For an all-out celebratory picnic, pink Champagne is a must. And this one from Maison H Blin is very special. A limited production, it’s made with 100% Pinot Meunier grapes – which is rare but a shame given how spectacular the wines it creates are.
It’s aged for several years on top of residual yeast from the fermentation (the minimum in Champagne is 12 months) – giving those classic biscuity notes. Creamy, moorish and bursting with red fruit – it’s like a decadent black forest gateau.
It would stand up to most foods but for a decadent picnic, go for some kind of sumptuous chocolate dessert. Luscious, velvety, but not too sweet and ideally dripping in fresh red fruit – just like the wine.
Price: £59.99
Where to buy: adnams.co.uk
Jardin de Roses AOP Languedoc Rosé
Think salmon-pink rosé and you’re probably thinking Provence. But arguably equally good pink wine (often for lower prices) is to be found furth West in France’s Languedoc region.
Give it a sniff and you find yourself in a gorgeous cottage garden, with roses in early bloom and the first strawberries and raspberries beginning to peek from their plants.
It’s currently on offer in Waitrose, so make the most of the even better pricing while it lasts.
The delicate flavours call for bagels with lightly smoked salmon (again Wright Brothers will sort you out here) and a dash of cream cheese.
Price: £10.99
Where to buy: waitrose.com
Albariño Mar de Frades 2023
This wine gets bonus style points for its slinky ultramarine blue bottle. The label is heat-sensitive – revealing an illustration of a small boat when the liquid inside reaches its ideal temperature (helpful when deciding whether to take it out the ice box on a picnic).
An Albariño from Galicia, on Spain’s northwestern coast, it’s like sipping a refreshing sea breeze.
The taste is uber-crisp, with green apple but also some light floral notes and a slightly saline finish.
Galicia is known for its seafood and this white deserves high-quality, chubby prawns smothered in garlic, herbs and lots of zingy lemon.
Price: £20.95
Where to buy: vinissimus.co.uk
Definition by Majestic English Sparkling 2019, Kent
An English picnic needs English sparkling. And this one is no novice “have-a-go” jobby. Majestic teamed up with top winemaker Nick Lane – who has previously worked for Dom Perignon and Cloudy Bay. The grapes come from a corner of Kent which enjoys a similar geology to Champagne – and are the classic Champagne varieties (Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier).
Rather than going for full biscuity flavours – like with vintage French sparkling – Lane has gone for a much lighter, more summer-y style that sings with Granny Smiths and fresh lemon.
Use that acidity to cut through the richness of some creamy egg mayo slapped onto sourdough. If you’re feeling really fancy, pop a bit of caviar on there too.
Price: £29.99
Where to buy: majestic.co.uk
Secreto 2020
There will always be that one friend who asks for a red wine no matter the weather. And that’s absolutely fine.
This elegant red hails from Ribera del Duero – a superb Spanish region known for its full-bodied wines. This one in particular has good acidity and is packed with bright fruit (think: ripe blackberries, cassis and plum), so it avoids feeling like a heavy winter wine.
It’s perfect with smoked meats and smoked cheeses. The Continental Hamper from The Artisan Smokehouse will cover all bases. Owners Tim and Gill’s smoked duck with juniper is just heavenly.
Price: £19
Where to buy: thewinesociety.com
Domaine Bel Avenir Fleurie “Poncie” 2022, Beaujolais
If you want to bring a red but it’s far too hot for anything heavy, look no further than Beaujolais. Once derided, the wines from this French region are accelerating in quality and (for now) still offer brilliant value.
Those from Beaujoalis’ crus are typically light, low in alcohol, and do well served chilled – making ideal summer picnic wines.
Wickhams have an excellent selection from Beaujolais’ crus. This one comes from the village of Fleurie – known for producing superb quality, delicate and floral wines. Its silky tannins and slight aftertaste of spice means it slips down perfectly with posh French charcuterie – including lashing of paté and terrines.
Ocado has a good selection – we particularly like the duck liver one from Findlater’s.
Price: £17.50
Where to buy: wickhamwine.co.uk
