You’re sitting in a park under the shade of an oak tree on a lightly-padded blue blanket. There’s a pick-up soccer game in the distance and other park-goers are scattered about, lying on blankets, reading books or simply soaking up some rays. You see your friends walking down the path, carrying a basket of food. You were in charge for finding the perfect wine, and they were in charge of the food. The bottle is—of course—set beside you chilled in a cooler. As they get closer you pour the wine into accompanying glasses and hear the satisfying “glug, glug.” Yes, a picnic on a warm day with an exquisite bottle of wine is how to do summer right.
But what is a good picnic-wine?
“A picnic wine should be aromatic, relatively light and taste good when chilled,” says Wine Enthusiast’s Jim Gordon, senior editor of the Tasting Department and reviewer of wines from California.
Anna-Christina Cabrales, Wine Enthusiast’s Tasting Director and reviewer of wines from Burgundy and Rhône, echoes this sentiment. “The wines should be delicious, flavorful and fun to share with other people. They should also be easy to manage, meaning you won’t have to worry too much about temperature or…
