The Best Way to Enjoy Wine with Your Memorial Day Picnic

Memorial Day weekend is an ideal time to get outside, delight in nature, and enjoy a picnic. We’re fortunate to have so many beautiful places in Texas to eat alfresco. If you need inspiration to pack your picnic basket, just follow these simple steps.

1. Grab the Perfect Picnic Wine  

What is the right wine for a picnic? Rosé! And a second bottle of Rosé!

Why? The gorgeous pink color is as inviting as a Texas wildflower. The bright fruit flavors complement the lovely flavors of almost any food you can bring on a picnic. Enjoying a glass of chilled wine is so refreshing on a warm afternoon.   

Our 2018 Pedernales Cellars Texas Dry Rosé is an excellent choice for a picnic. It is a Rhône-style blend made with predominantly Cinsault grapes along with Mourvèdre from our Kuhlken Estate Vineyard, and Carignan. This lush rosé wine is fruity and lively with candied watermelon, guava, red delicious apples, and strawberry aromas. It has cheerful cherry and strawberry flavors that carry through with crisp acidity. It's as refreshing as a cool summer breeze. This is undoubtedly my favorite picnic wine of all time.

The 2019 Pedernales Cellars Kyla Pét-Nat Rosé Sparkling Wine brings the extra excitement of bubbly fun. It is a perfect picnic wine for the long Memorial Day weekend, as it is lower in alcohol so you can enjoy a glass and still play frisbee with accuracy. The lively effervescence and peppy acidity make our Kyla particularly food-friendly. It pairs incredibly well with fresh fruit, spicy picnic food like marinated stuffed cherry peppers, as well as grilled chicken and burgers. It is only available for purchase in our tasting room.

2. Keep It Cool

Rosé should always be served chilled – around 50 to 60 degrees. If you don’t have a wine cooler sleeve, or a fancy, rugged stainless-steel bottle insulator to keep your bottle cool, never fear. Here are a couple of ways to keep your wine chilled for your Memorial Day picnic.

Zip it in Ice — pop your bottle of Pedernales Cellars into a gallon-size freezer bag with a zipper closure. Fill it with ice, and zip it closed (as best you can with the neck sticking out of the top). Stand your improvised cooler on end so it doesn’t leak in your basket, and your wine will stay cold for hours.  

Use a Koozie — Slide one koozie over the bottom of the wine bottle, and another koozie right over top, allowing the neck to poke through the hole in the bottom of the koozie. While the koozies won't completely encapsulate the bottle; they will insulate it enough to keep the bottle chilled for a couple of hours.

3. “Hey Boo Boo, Let's Go Get Us a Pic-a-nic Basket”.

Next, select the menu for your outdoor feast. Fill your picnic basket with a variety of easy-to-eat treats that would make Yogi swoon. Toss in fresh berries, cut veggies, a selection of cheeses, and simple sandwiches. Try this picnic-friendly sandwich:

• Cut a French baguette into 6-inch-long sections, then cut each section in half longways.
• Spread a mint pesto onto one-half of the baguette.
• On the other half, layer Boursin Cheese, sliced cucumber, smoked salmon, and microgreens.
• Press the two halves together and wrap in butcher paper.

Dress up your place setting with cloth napkins, reusable cutlery, tea lights, and an easy-going picnic tablecloth.

Now you are all set for an afternoon of relaxation, and delicious dining outside. Swing by our tasting room on your way to the park or order the 2018 Texas Dry Rosé online and have it shipped right to your house.

Cheers!