Pairs of food and wine for different occasions and moods

What to look for:

1. •Bubbles – pete-nati if you can find them.

2. •Unfiltered wines with skin contact for dynamic full grape expression.

3. •Well-balanced wines are versatile for pairing food.

Dry agricultural wines:

It’s a rustic Italian wine that beats a lot of celebratory boxes. The sparkling pop opening gives the tone of the evening. This is pete-nat, so it has a light, gentle bubble of natural fermentation. You get a lot of flavor because the wine that comes in contact with the skin is also unfiltered (which also makes it a bit cloudy). It basically contains the most complete expression of grapes – stems, skin, seeds, yeast and everything else. The grape is Lambrusco di Sorbara, although Spuma is certainly less sweet than the typical Lambrusco wine. It is incredibly well balanced, so it goes with food with almost everything. She enjoys it alone, without food.

What to look for:

1. •Wines with lower sugar and lower ABV are a better choice for a daily drink.

2. •Whites grown in a warmer climate that will not suffer at room temperature.

3. •Something great with acidity to balance your menu – our picnic basket always contains some rich elements like nuts, cheese, sausages or hummus.

Dry agricultural wines:

This South African wine – made from Chenin Blanc grapes – is true to its warm coastal climate. It has some minerality, and surprisingly, it still tastes nice at room temperature, when the chills wear off. When it cools super, those mineral notes are right ahead, but as it melts to room temperature, you’ll get more subtle fruity notes. So there is no need for stress due to the refrigerator and ice. All dry agricultural wines have less alcohol, but this is one of the lowest with 11.56% ABV, making it ideal for daily drinking. It’s not overly sour, but it can cut through some of the rich foods you might have packed for a picnic.

What to look for:

1. •Wines aged in barrels have a nicer taste that will stay on your palate.

2. •Bold-tasting wines to combine with bold foods.

3. •Check the region and style of wine production – this can result in very different flavor profiles, even from the same grapes.

Dry agricultural wines:

Just because you stay and dine in tracksuits doesn’t mean you can’t have great wine. This Chenin Blanc from the Loire Valley is bold, rich and complex – everything happens here. Although it is made from the same grape variety as the top picnic wine, this Chenin Blanc is a little different because it is from a colder climate, so it drinks best chilled. It contains a slightly higher alcohol content than picnic wine. And it was aged in neutral oak barrels, which does not give a taste, but the porous wood enables oxidation, which results in an incredibly delicious effect of coating the palate. This wine can withstand bold flavors, so don’t be shy about the menu.

What to look for:

1. •Affordable wines with an interesting story will appeal to beginners and expert growers.

2. •Wines from old vines: Small but powerful cultures give wines an intense flavor.

3. •Earthy, aged red – the depth of flavor works well with anything grilled.

Dry agricultural wines:

When you host a barbecue, your guests ’level of wine knowledge is likely to vary. Looking for something affordable enough for wine beginners and interesting enough for your experts? This cab Franc matches the bill. It is very earthy, with little acidity, made from grapes of old wine, which means that the vines have been harvested for more than twenty years. The old vine usually yields fewer grapes, but the grapes are full of flavor. This wine is also aged in barrels, then bottled and aged a little more, so that both color and flavor have had a chance to develop and intensify over time. It is ideal for all charred items from the grill – steaks with ribs, merguez sausages, shishito peppers or za’atar flatbread.