Uncork Summer: Take California Wines Along for the Season’s Outdoor Adventures

The Golden State Offers Portable Pours for Every Summer Occasion — from Picnics to Camping

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Summer is here, the sun is shining, and the season is bursting with opportunities to enjoy the great outdoors. Whether you’re bound for the beach, the park, the pool or the trail, California wines are ready to come along for the ride.

Wineries across the Golden State offer portable options for every al fresco adventure: Think crisp whites and refreshing rosés in convenient cans, or chillable reds in totable Tetra Pak cartons. These easy-to-pack wines are not just ideal for summer outings like picnics and camping — their lightweight, eco-friendly packaging also helps protect the planet.

Wherever summer takes you — from the coast and the mountains or just your neighborhood park — there’s a California wine to match the moment. Here are some tips for an unforgettable summer sipping season.

Lighten Up

Portability — and sustainability — matter. Many of California’s sustainable wineries offer high-quality, summer-friendly wines in lightweight, environmentally responsible packaging that’s perfect for toting along to picnics, beach outings, hikes and more — no corkscrew required. Here are some examples to get you started:

Canned wines: Single-serve cans are lightweight and oh-so-easy to pop into a backpack for a trip to the trail, beach, park or pool. Check out options from Bev wines, Sofia, Michael-David “Freakshow” and Dancing Coyote for everything from lightly fizzy sparklers to rosé to Cabernet Sauvignon. Aluminum is not only light, resulting in a smaller carbon footprint for shipping, it can also be recycled indefinitely with very little manufacturing energy required for its next generation.

Bag-in-box wines: Why lug multiple bottles when you’re on the go when you can bring along a compact, Earth-friendly box that holds two or more standard size bottles? Tablas Creek, Bota Box Breeze and Black Box are just some of the brands that can easily go where glass bottles can’t. Ideal for outdoor gatherings and larger groups, bag-in-box packaging weighs less than glass and the boxes are recyclable. The packaging keeps wine fresh for up to a month, which helps minimize waste. Many bag-in-box wines also come in single-serving Tetra carton “minis.”

Other cool formats: Bogle’s Element[AL] wines are packaged in featherweight aluminum bottles sealed with convenient screwcaps. Resembling a traditional wine bottle, the container is 100% recyclable and weighs 80% less than the average glass wine bottle — resulting in a smaller carbon footprint. Blue Bin Wines from River Road Family Vineyards are packaged in ultra-light, 100% recycled plastic bottles that can be re-recycled. The package looks like a typical glass bottle, but it’s lighter, thinner and shatterproof.

Many sustainability-minded California wineries are also switching to lightweight glass bottles, which require less fuel to ship.

Step it Up

Ditch the single-use paper plates and plastic cups — the planet will thank you — and opt for stylish, reusable tableware instead. From collapsible stemmed wine glasses to compostable bamboo plates and cutlery, there are lots of elegant offerings to elevate your outdoor dining and sipping occasions. (Pro tip: California tasting rooms are a great place to find unique picnic totes and accessories.)

Sips for the Season

California offers a diverse range of wines to match seasonal favorites.

For picnics, beach days and outdoor brunch hangouts, opt for crisp California whites that are light on their feet, like Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Grigio, or reach for a juicy, mouthwatering California rosé. If there’s a charcuterie board involved, bring along a light-bodied, chillable California red.

When grilling burgers and steaks, go for a California red wine with a bit more body. Try Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah or Zinfandel. Grilled chicken, salmon and portobello mushrooms were made for California Pinot Noir, with its lighter and more delicate profile.

Sipping around a campfire calls for wines that can stand up to the decadent, chocolatey goodness of ’smores. Sweet and off-dry reds such as California fortified wines and late-harvest dessert wines are often packaged in smaller, 500mL and 375mL bottles that are lightweight and easy to transport — and the wines taste divine with toasted marshmallows and melted chocolate

Need more culinary inspiration for your outdoor adventures? Here are some recipes and California wine pairings to kick off the summer season in delicious fashion:

Summer Squash and Potato Herb Salad: Bursting with the flavors of the season, this medley of yellow and green zucchini, creamy red potatoes and succulent red peppers is a colorful alternative to bland potato salad. Try it with a refreshing California Sauvignon Blanc.

Grass-Fed Burger with Avocado and Chipotle Mayonnaise: Buttery avocados make any sandwich better, and they put this burger over the top. Grass-fed beef is often lean, but the creamy avocado and spicy chipotle mayo ensure a luscious, flavor-packed burger. Serve with a California Cabernet Sauvignon or Syrah.

Grilled Chicken Salad with Feta, Mint, Toasted Pita: Char-grilled chicken tops a Greek-style salad tossed with crispy pita chips and a bright lemon vinaigrette. Pair with California Chardonnay or rosé.

Heirloom Tomato and Black Olive Tart: Make this colorful savory tart in late summer when tomatoes are at their flavor peak. Perfect for an elegant al fresco brunch or picnic, the herbaceous tart pairs beautifully with California Pinot Noir.

California Peach Frosé Popsicle: California cling peaches, peach nectar and California rosé are frozen into popsicle form for an adult twist on the quintessential summer treat. These are a fun and unique addition to backyard summer parties.

For additional recipes and to learn more about California wines, visit DiscoverCaliforniaWines.com.

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About Wine Institute
Established in 1934, Wine Institute is the public policy advocacy group of more than 1,000 California wineries and affiliated businesses that initiates and advocates state, federal and international public policy to enhance the environment for the responsible production, consumption and enjoyment of wine. To learn more about California wines, visit Discover California Wines.

Funding for the project was made possible by a grant/cooperative agreement from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service. Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the USDA.