Perfect wines to pack for a picnic | Alistair Gibson

As I started writing this week’s column the heavens opened and the wind blew, not particularly ideal for thinking about wines for picnics!
Les Bois Mathieu Saint Mont roseLes Bois Mathieu Saint Mont rose
Les Bois Mathieu Saint Mont rose

However the weather is apparently looking much more favourable for the next few weeks, so with that in mind and before you pack the cool bag for the beach or the countryside here are a few thoughts on wines to take on a picnic.

First and foremost, picnic wines need to be crowd-pleasers, it’s probably more about the moment than the actually wine itself. You may well be drinking out of plastic glasses so you don’t need to bring your best bottle and finally, don’t forget to take a corkscrew or alternatively take wines that don’t need one.

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Mirabeau Belle Année Rosé 2020, Vin de France ( Tesco £10, Ocado £10.99, Waitrose £19.99 on offer from £24.99 for 2.25l wine box) is made by English couple Stephen and Jeany Cronk, who have established with Mirabeau one of the most recognised labels in Provence in a remarkably short space of time.

Mirabeau Belle Annee Rose wine 2020Mirabeau Belle Annee Rose wine 2020
Mirabeau Belle Annee Rose wine 2020

This wine is a blend of grenache and syrah but from grapes grown just outside of Provence and it is a very attractive, fruit-forward rosé. Summer red fruits and a little citrus on the nose, followed by a very fresh, juicy palate with a clean, dry finish. The wine box version would be perfect for slightly larger picnics but just remember it will take slightly longer to chill down than a bottle.

Staying with rosé, I love the label of Les Bois Mathieu Rosé 2020, Saint Mont (The Wine Society £7.50), it has a lovely, fresh summer feel about it. From south west France, this is very simple but that is perfect for a picnic. There are crushed redcurrants on the nose, followed by a crisp, fresh palate and a dry, easy finish. This is another crowd pleaser and is great value even if you are going to need to remember the corkscrew to open it.

Something slightly different is Croft Twist Elderflower Lemon and Mint (Amazon, Ocado £2.50 250ml can) which may not strictly be a wine, but it is based on Fino Sherry and would make a very convenient and refreshing picnic drink.

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It is very lightly sparkling and based on an Andalusian cocktail called Rebujito, and is a blend of Fino sherry, elderflower, lemon, mint and mineral water. The elderflower on the nose does make you think of a summer’s evening and with some mint and citrus notes this is difficult not to like and is also comparatively low in alcohol at five per cent.

Croft TwistCroft Twist
Croft Twist

If you were serving this at home, you would serve it over ice with some fresh mint, but it works out of a can very well and is easy to pack in the cool box.

Now you all need to remember is your umbrella, just in case!

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