April Offers Perfect Picnicking Weather

After so many months of winter, the spring is finally here. The weather is getting warmer, trees and flowers are slowly starting to come into bloom and people are looking forward to the opportunity to spend a little bit more time outdoors with their friends and family members.

One of the best ways to do this during the spring or summer is with a picnic and April is the perfect month to get started. There are plenty of things that the wine lover should bring along for a picnic, so make sure you have everything on this list if you want to have the best possible time.

A Good Bottle of Wine

Before we get into the various foods and other things that make for a great picnic, we have to go with our strengths and recommend that you take a really good bottle of wine into the great outdoors for your picnic. There is something truly wonderful about enjoying a nice bottle of wine outside of the comfort of your own home, especially amongst friends. Of course, you should consider the types of food that you are going to bring along when selecting your wine. If you intend to eat a lot of rich foods, such as chocolates or red meat, then you should take a bottle of red along. Lighter foods will work best with a bottle of white.

Good Food

The other most important part of a picnic is bringing some really nice food along. Most will be more than happy to make a few sandwiches that they can enjoy in the newly-warm climate, but others who are looking to be a little more creative can find plenty of morsels to bring along with them. What you need to keep in mind when picking your foods is the wine that is going to go alongside them and how the food needs to be stored. Many picnics are enjoyed after a hike or other long journey, so you need to ensure that the food is packed in such a fashion that it will stay in good condition until it comes time to chow down.

Utensils

You don’t have to eat your picnic food out of your hands if you don’t want to and there are plenty of shops that sell utensils that can be used in the great outdoors. It is recommended that you pick up a few plates that are sturdy enough to withstand the elements if you are going to be hiking over long distances. Others may choose to go another route and buy disposable plates and plastic knives and forks. While these will do the job, the cost will start to mount up if you head out for a lot of picnics and have to replace them each time, so consider the costs involved and the regularity of your trips out before selecting the utensils that you will bring on the picnic with you.

The Right Clothing

As we mentioned before, many people tend to go for picnics in places that require them to hike a little bit before they reach their favoured beauty spot. This means you are going to have to be wearing the right gear to ensure you get to where you need to go in comfort and can enjoy the picnic once your arrive. A good pair of walking boots is essential, as they will allow you to traverse practically any terrain without having to worry too much when things get rough. Ideally, you shouldn’t need any bulky or waterproof clothing, as the point of a picnic is to be able to enjoy your food in the great outdoors, but it never helps to be safe and pack some waterproof items away, just in case.

Bottle Bags or Coolers

Coming back to the subject of wine again, those who really want to be able to enjoy a nice drink while they are outside need to be able to keep their wine in the best possible condition before they reach their destination. A good cooler will ensure that your white wines stay at the ideal temperature for longer, allowing you to enjoy their refreshing and crisp nature when you final crack them open. Red wines are a little trickier, as you are going to have to deal with them being exposed to weather than may be a little above room temperature, which could mess with the consistency of the wine. One of the best ways to deal with this is to use a bottle bag, ideally one made of neoprene, which will be able to keep the wine at the right temperature and prevent it from being exposed to a lot of heat.

Accessories

Of course, you mustn’t forget the various accessories that you are going to need to keep your picnic and yourself protected. A blanket is essential for laying on the floor so that you don’t have to worry about grass or dirt getting into the food. It will also offer you a nice, comfortable area for you to sit. It is also a good idea to bring some paper towels and wet wipes along with you, as there often won’t be much opportunity to wash up after you have eaten, particularly if you are in the middle of nowhere enjoying a meal. Finally, make sure that you bring along a trash bag or two so that you can clean up after yourself. Nobody wants to share a picnic space with people who have no concern for their impact on the environment.

Other People

Of course, no picnic would be complete without having someone there to share it with you, so your friends and family are far and away the most important thing that you can bring along with you now that the summer months are getting closer. You can share in the many moments and memories that you have already made together, while also making some more by enjoying a fine wine and great food in a beautiful setting, with the people who mean the most to you in your life.