Let’s drink to summer!
Our choices for picnics and barbecues, including some inexpensive picks from your local supermarket
In A Midsummer Night’s Dream, the boundaries between reality and fantasy blur, creating a magical tapestry of love, mischief, and enchantment. Similarly, the right summer wine can transform an ordinary day into a memorable adventure. Whether you’re lounging in a London park, basking on a sunlit beach, or enjoying a sizzling barbecue, these wines will add a touch of Shakespearean magic to your summer gatherings.
Summer wines are light, refreshing, and vibrant – perfect for the heat. Think of them as your own personal love potion, capable of making even your grumpy uncle smile at a barbecue. A few simple facts are the key to the success of these wines. Look for white, rosé wine or sparkling wines with a high acidity, which gives the wine its freshness, or reds that are free of tannins and have not been aged in oak barrels for an extended period of time.
Raise a glass, toast to the season, and let the enchantment begin.
Wines for Picnics
Picture this: you’re lounging on a striped blanket, surrounded by friends, and the spirit of Shakespeare’s playful fairies is in the air. The wines for such an occasion should be portable, versatile, and delicious.
1. Dalton Family Collection Sauvignon Blanc
This French grape is as crisp as Puck’s wit, with green apple notes that pair well with picnic staples. Known for its zesty acidity and refreshing as the morning dew in Titania’s forest, its bright character complements fresh salads, soft cheeses, and seafood. Find it at kosherwine.co.uk for just £16.99.
2. Atlantique Vinho Verde
A Portuguese wine that’s slightly fizzy—much like the fairies’ laughter. Often slightly effervescent, with a playful spritz akin to Puck’s mischievous antics. Its lime and green apple flavours pair beautifully with picnic staples like charcuterie and light sandwiches at price that won’t prank your wallet – just £6.99 at Sainsbury’s.
3. Carmel Private Collection Rose
A delightful expression of refined elegance and vibrant freshness. This wine greets the nose with an enticing bouquet of fresh strawberries, ripe raspberries, and delicate floral notes, reminiscent of a spring garden in full bloom. Dry and charming like a midsummer romance, this rosé is perfect for light salads and giggles. Order from kosherwinecellar.co.uk for £17.50.
Wines for the Beach
For those days when you’re more mermaid than mortal, and the sea breeze tangles your hair like a mischievous sprite. Beach wines should be vibrant and invigorating, much like your attempts at beach volleyball.
4. Tesco Finest Vinas Del Rey Albariño
From Spain’s Rías Baixas region, Albariño boasts citrus and stone fruit flavours with a saline edge, evoking the ocean’s kiss. With flavours as bright as a fairy queen’s crown, it’s an excellent match for ceviche and fish dishes. Tesco Finest has a great one for £11.00.
5. Campo Viejo Rioja Blanco White
This varietal is bright and aromatic, with notes of green apple, lime, and herbs. It’s a versatile beach wine that pairs well with grilled vegetables and light pasta dishes, and shellfish. Sainsbury’s sells it for £7.50.
6. Darom by Yatir White
Darom of Yatir Winery is a series of young and accessible wines that express the terroir in the south of the Land of Israel – a magical combination between silence and simplicity and desert modesty and strength. A symbol of the great potential that lies in the wine vines in the south of the country. The wine has flavours of ripe crushed fruits, the aroma of citrus flowers, freshness and juiciness. Enjoy it with sushi or a simple baguette with butter. Crisp and mineral, like a dip in the ocean. Perfect for just sipping while contemplating life’s mysteries. Grab it online at kosherwine.co.uk for £26.00.
Wines for Barbecues
When the grill’s fired up and the air is filled with the scent of sizzling meat, you need wines that can hold their own. These are wines with enough character to stand up to barbecue flavours, yet refreshing enough to cool you down when the grill (or the conversation) gets too hot.
7. Waitrose Beaujolais Villages
Made from the Gamay grape, Beaujolais is light, fruity, and best served slightly chilled. Its cherry and raspberry flavours cut through the richness of grilled sausages, burgers, and vegetable skewers. Light, fruity, and as charming as Lysander, this wine pairs with everything from sausages to veggie skewers. Available at Waitrose for £10.99.
8. Felicette, Grenache Blanc
This southern French white offers a fuller body with notes of white peach, pear, and citrus. It’s a delightful partner to grilled chicken, fish, and even barbecued corn on the cob. With its full body and peachy notes, this wine is the Puck of your barbecue—versatile and slightly cheeky. Tesco has it for £8.50.
9. Barkan Classic Argaman
A unique and vibrant red wine, showcasing a deep ruby hue. It offers a rich bouquet of dark plums, ripe cherries, and subtle hints of spice. On the palate, it delivers a smooth and balanced experience with velvety tannins and a lingering, fruit-forward finish. Buy it at kosherwine.co.uk for £14.
10. Yarden Mount Hermon Moscato
A delightful treat, bursting with aromas of peach, apricot, and honey. Its palate is sweet yet balanced by a lively acidity, featuring lush fruit flavours and a hint of floral notes. Perfect for dessert or as a light, refreshing aperitif, this Moscato offers a joyous and vibrant finish. Buy in Kosher Kingdom for £12.99.
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
