Wine + Camping - The Pros
Light weight. A wine bottle weighs half as much as a 6-pack, and it fits much more compactly in your camping bag. #WineWin
More bang for your bottle. The ABV content in one bottle of wine is roughly equivalent to the ABV content in a 6-pack of beer.
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. Drinking wine over individual beer bottles produces less waste for recycling - a major perk if you have to bring your bottles with you when leaving the campsite. Plus, screwcap wine bottles can be refilled and used as large water bottles. You can easily rehydrate with the same drinking vessel!
Chillax. Chilling a bottle of wine is super simple, and can be done quickly. Check out our post on Keeping it Cool for tips on getting your vino chilly to refresh on a hot afternoon.
Wine + Camping - The Pairings
Its safe to say that camping will usually involve cooking a meal (or several) over some open flames. You can’t go wrong pairing a smoky Syrah with a burning fire, but be sure to check out our Grape & Grill post for additional tips on meal prepping and picking the perfect wines for your campfire fiesta.
Gimme S’more. Being National S’mores Day, we have to share our favorite wine and s’mores pairing. It may sound loco, but pairing a sweet sparkling wine (like Doux or Demi-sec Prosecco) is where it's at. The residual sugar levels of the vino match the sweetness of the melty chocolate, and the bubbles help to cut through the gooey goodness of your 'mallow. Plus, what could be more fun than Prosecco and s’mores?! Yes, I'd like s'more bubbly please.
Wine + Camping - The Tips
Can’t stand the heat. If your wine is in direct sunlight it can start to cook. No one wants to be sipping on vinegar-like wine while singing kumbaya around the fire. Store your vino in the car or a shady spot to keep it fresh.
Keep it afloat. Float your unopened bottles in the river to keep them chilled (just make sure they’re tied to a branch or an attached object so they don’t sail away!).
Bug off. Drinking any type of alcohol can increase your BAC, making your blood super succulent and delicious for those evil mosquitoes. Be sure to bring bug spray to keep your skin and sips skeeter-free.
Lather, rinse, repeat. After dousing yourself with bug spray, wash your hands with soap and water. If you don't, you’ll get a whiff of potent repellent every time you bring your glass to your mouth. This can really kill your palate and throw off the tasty notes of your wine. Cheers, happy campers!
