Picnic season is on a roll and no matter what picky bits you are currently into, there is a drop of the good stuff to make it taste even better.
Scotch Eggs x English Sparkling Wine
Fortnum & Mason first invented the modern “scotch egg” in 1738 as a convenient meal for coach travellers from London and it is still a stalwart of our pub and picnic culture. Though a light Beaujolais would work well with the pork, an English sparkling wine is the best choice to cut through the rich sausage meat, egg yolk and fried coating. Balfour’s ‘Botham & Balfour Legend Series’ Brut Reserve (£30 Majestic) is especially fitting as a delicious new collaboration with this stunning Kent winery and cricket legend Sir Ian Botham.
Charcuterie x Lightly Chilled Red
Probably the coolest thing to be drinking right now (no pun intended) is a chilled red. Fresh and fruity, one of the best out there is the Lady A Red (£19.50 Marks & Spencer) which is silky, slightly spiced and utterly scrumptious. The bright fruit of the wine compliments the savoury saltiness of the meats.
Crisps x Champagne
This high-low pairing is pure science. Champagne loves salt and fat and its acidity acts like a squeeze of lemon on anything fried. Thanks to the traditional method of making champagne the wine’s toasty, yeasty notes compliment the carbs of the crisps. Grab a bumper pack of your favourites and a bottle of Berry Bro’s & Rudd’s award-winning Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs (£42 Berry Bro’s & Rudd). Its elegant effervescence easily elevates the most basic of park bench picnics.
Mini Sausages x Pinot Noir wine
Pinot Noir hits that sweet spot with pork (so this would also work well with a pork pie) given it’s substantial enough to stand up to the meat but has spices and herb notes that act like the ideal condiment. Unlike a steak that needs some grippy tannins, pork benefits from this lighter, smoother wine experience. Open a bottle of Devils Corner Pinot Noir (£15 Tesco) for a Tasmanian take on the grape and celebrate those mini sausages with a glass brimming of ripe dark cherries and spice.
Strawberries x Rosé wine
Strawberries are surprisingly hard to pair well with wine as they are sweet and acidic all at once, so I go for the wine failsafe that is rosé. Rosé tends to be able to pair with most foods from delicate salads to chargrilled barbeque, so it helps to always have a good one in the fridge. Delectable Le Météore Faugères Rosé (£16.75 aduv.co.uk) is grown in the crater of a meteorite strike in Southern France ten thousand years ago and its red berries and a slick of salinity suits those fresh strawberries perfectly.
Crudité x Sauvignon & Semillon
I did a double take when I learned one of Australia’s best winemakers, Larry Cherubino, has started making an affordable range at Tesco. Thankfully a cut in cost has not meant a reduction in flavour. The Folklore Sauvignon Blanc Semillon (£10 Tesco) is mouthwatering and makes an ideal partner for crunchy fresh crudité with its fresh, cleansing citrus and green notes with a little bit of weight from the Semillon.
Recommendations
Roebuck Rosé de Noirs – £42.50 Ocado
I remember the first time I tasted this devilishly delightful English rosé. My whole mouth came alive with ripe strawberries, plump cherries, the hint of almond blossom and tart orange peel. A sophisticated, moreish sparkling that has been crafted with absolute care and pleasure.
Chateau Musar 2019 – £45 Hedonism
Some may feel a heady red is too much in this week’s heat, but not when it comes to this brazenly brooding and brilliant 2019 by Lebanon’s Chateau Musar. It suggests warm summer nights abroad in a spice market with whispers of cloves, dusky plums, black olives. Indulge.
Champagne Henriot Blanc de Blancs – £48.95 Tesco
Henriot has created a superbly crisp, lively and layered champagne. This bottle is a pleasure with pristine citrus notes and youthful floral aromas that open to hazelnut pastry and maintains a fine, electric, mineral backbone. So good I served it at my own birthday.
