Even without their incendiary fumes, the wine wouldn’t have tasted of much — or at least, not nearly as much as it ought to have done. When you are rapidly losing a wine’s aromas to every passing breeze, it won’t taste as if it has much flavour. So drinking fine wine outside is a waste of time and wine, unless you’ve got a completely isolated, sheltered and unscented garden on a breeze-free day. Invite me round if you have.
If you want to drink wine outside — and who doesn’t? — stick to wines that can afford to lose a bit to the breeze, either because they are cheerfully cheap enough for you not to worry, or because they’re young and lithe or full-flavoured enough to stand a bit of rough handling from the wind. Try the three below.
CELLARNOTES
2002 Ramon Roqueta Cabernet Sauvignon Rosado, £5.59
Exuberant Spanish rosé, bursting with fresh strawberry and cassis flavours (Sunday Times Wine Club, 0870 220 0010).
2001 Booarra Chenin Blanc, £5.51
A full, fruity, dry white with citrus and peach flavours from Western Australia. The matching shiraz is good, too (Asda).
2001 Perrin Nature Côtes du Rhône, £7.99
Generously flavoured Rhône red made from organic grapes by the Perrin family, of Châteauneuf fame (Thresher, Wine Rack).
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WINE BLUFF
"There is no such thing as organic wine in Europe"
Anorak fact: Europe only has "wine made from organically grown grapes". The US has "organic wine", (made without chemicals) as well