Picnic with Style: Wines and Pairings for an Outdoor Lunch

Immersing oneself in nature is already a positive and beneficial experience in itself; if you then combine food and wine, it can turn into a true sensory journey, focused on well-being, togetherness, and stress reduction.

Organizing a picnic and therefore planning the right pairings between wine and food makes the moment truly memorable, stepping away from the chaos of the city to rediscover the beauty of nature, especially in colorful seasons like spring and autumn.

In this article, we will provide you with a series of tips for organizing a stylish picnic, choosing useful and functional accessories and pairing savory and sweet treats with the right bottle.

It really takes just a few details to transform a simple outdoor lunch into a sumptuous and delightful experience, even from a culinary perspective, perhaps choosing this option to celebrate an event with friends away from the chaos.

Why Choose Wine for Your Picnic

Like every respectable banquet, the Nectar of the Gods is an essential element to create the right atmosphere and make the mood intimate and jovial.

A toast before enjoying the aperitif, a light red to accompany meat dishes, a fresh white for savory pies made with fish, an aromatic wine for dry biscuits or dessert, these are just some of the pairing options available to you when organizing a summer picnic outdoors.

You will feel like you are enjoying an exceptional meal in an exclusive location, benefiting from the surrounding nature while not giving up on quality wine.

The choice depends on numerous factors that we will list below, so grab a pen and paper and start organizing your next picnic in style, without sacrificing the goodness of the food and the enveloping flavor of a red, white, or rosé wine, which satisfies everyone present and pairs well with the menu.

Tips for Wine Selection

The selection of wines for an outdoor picnic is influenced by several parameters, some objective and others that depend on the personal taste of everyone present.
Let's see how to choose the best pairing based on your needs.

Evaluate the menu chosen for the outdoor picnic.

Whether you have organized the stylish outdoor lunch yourself or you have been invited as a guest and wish to bring a bottle, you need to know what the menu for the day will be in order to choose the most suitable wine.

If, for example, it's a picnic that only involves snacks and savory pies, like a sort of buffet aperitif on the lawn, you can't go wrong with sparkling wine, and you'll please everyone by bringing a bubbly touch of lightness and making the atmosphere even more fun.

If, instead, you have decided to prepare a meat first or second course, then red wine is allowed, but without overdoing it with body and alcohol content, as this is still an outdoor lunch, which may later involve dynamic activities for which one needs to be ready and avoid feeling drowsy.

A summer cold pasta, a rice salad, homemade sushi, or already baked fish pair perfectly with a fruity white wine of various types or with a delightful and slightly aromatic rosé.

In short, the first attention to have is reserved for the menu, without forgetting to serve the drink at the right temperature, bringing along a cooler bag to prevent the white wine at room temperature from inevitably ruining the meal and detracting from the style.

The wine suitable for every season

Usually, when organizing a picnic, one takes into account the weather conditions, hoping for sunshine and a pleasant temperature. The best seasons to enjoy this immersive outdoor experience are therefore spring, summer, and autumn, each with its own characteristic colors and scents.

The menu also follows the time of year, creating, for example, savory pies with an Easter theme in spring, cold pasta or rice salad in summer to escape the excessive heat, or taking advantage of the sweet and delicate flavor of pumpkin during the early autumn days.

The same applies to wine, which deserves to be chosen according to the season and therefore the seasonal food, opting for fuller-bodied reds if the temperatures are just mild and for light and sparkling whites if the thermometer rises.

Bubbles are an ideal solution 365 days a year, especially if you want to start the meal by toasting to the convivial atmosphere and the nice company that has come together.

If the garden chosen for the picnic has a sheltered area or a veranda with clear glass, one can consider having lunch outdoors even on the less cold winter days, taking advantage of the central hours to enjoy a few rays of sunshine and the benefits of nature.

Personal preferences and courtesies for guests

When choosing a wine for an outdoor lunch with multiple guests, it is courteous to consider the personal preferences of the invitees and opt for options that will be suitable for everyone.

If, however, there is a person who simply cannot tolerate bubbles or red wine, it is possible to reserve a bottle of white just for her and make her experience memorable with a small gesture.

The next paragraph is dedicated to the best pairings, but it is possible to make exceptions depending on desires and cravings, choosing different bottles from the wide range of options that the market offers.

Who knows, maybe that person who hates sparkling wine will taste a bottle they like and next time they can toast together with everyone else?
Wine tasting always hides pleasant surprises and discoveries, because every bottle has its own characteristic aromatic notes that can tantalize the palate in ways we don't even expect.

Wine and Food Pairings for Picnics

Let's get to the topic that is closest to the hearts of all those organizing a stylish summer picnic and want to impress their guests with unique flavors and a skillful pairing with wine.

Sparkling wine and bubbles: the aperitif has begun.

The aperitif has become such a common practice that it is hard to do without it, especially during a summer lunch outdoors, as single servings, snacks, and squares of savory pie are easy to prepare, transport, and keep on site.

Therefore, when thinking of a picnic, it is unthinkable to leave a bottle of sparkling wine or prosecco at home, choosing the... "Bollicina" translates to "bubble" in English. more appreciated by guests among those of French or Italian tradition, with aromatic notes that are more or less fruity and fresh depending on the chosen dishes.

Sparkling wine is also suitable for a final toast, so it pairs well with the consumption of dry biscuits, tarts, and pastries made with shortcrust pastry, perfect for a picnic served in a convenient way.

Finally, don't forget to pair prosecco with cured meats and cheeses by creating a platter to share as an appetizer before starting the main meal.

White wine for summer starters, fish dishes, and white meat.

White wine is usually the most suitable choice to accompany a light and delicate meal, possibly opting for the fruity notes of a... Gewürztraminer from the low alcohol content, especially if the temperatures are warm and humid.

You can pair a cold pasta dish with vegetables and mozzarella, a mixed rice salad, fish like smoked salmon or octopus salad, as well as white meat such as sliced chicken breast, on a bed of fresh citrus salad.

If you know the variety of white wine you are serving, you can create interesting aromatic references by using lemon and pairing it with a... Vermentino with a very summery aftertaste, or a vernaccia with floral notes or the Falanghina, which usually satisfies all diners due to its freshness.

There are numerous green and white solutions made with low environmental impact ingredients and techniques that allow us to rediscover the flavors of tradition.

A light red for an autumn picnic.

If you have chosen autumn colors for your picnic or you simply don't want to give up red on the table, opt for a lighter and less alcoholic variant like the Lambrusco, It is refreshing and perfect with savory meat-based pies and heartier main courses, or with a baked pasta to enjoy all together on the lawn.

Among the best reds for a picnic, we find a Sangue di Giuda Frizzante, which, with its intense aromatic notes, makes every meal more interesting.
Again, red pairs well with sweet doughnuts and traditional dry cookies, such as cantucci, to finish the meal in a delicious way with the right sweetness.

Rosé wine for a choice of true style.

The rosé It is appreciated both from an aesthetic point of view and in terms of flavor, and it pairs well with vegetables and cheeses due to its tannic yet not astringent notes, fresh but not acidic, making it extremely versatile.

Therefore, you can pair it with either light dishes, such as salads, savory pies from land and sea with a mild flavor, or with heartier options, like baked pasta and rich first courses.

Tips for a Stylish Picnic

From a style perspective, a picnic should catch the eye, featuring a series of essential accessories and details that make a difference.
So don't forget the classic checked tablecloth, but make sure to pair it with matching cloth napkins and choose elegant cutlery that is not plastic or paper.

Additionally, you can provide each of the attendees with a wicker basket containing everything they need for their lunch, creating a vintage and extremely elegant atmosphere.

Depending on the season, you can choose different textiles, following the colors of nature and selecting floral patterns.

Enjoy the benefits of an outdoor lunch by correctly pairing wine and food with our tips, and you will experience a unique experience that will recharge your batteries!