Summer is nearly here with the summer solstice on June 21st. With the season of sun comes camping trips, BBQs and outdoor music fests that require the best to-go wine and wine accessories for a gourmet picnic spread.
Here are our picks for the best to-go wine and wine accessories that make packing for a snazzy wine-paired meal a snap:
Travel-Friendly Wines
STACK WINES
No more packing stemware, corkscrew and a bottle of wine with Stack Wines. Unzip the packaging, rip open the lid and sip. It’s that easy. Equaling a bottle of wine, the four individually packaged glasses are sealed with a top much like a yogurt. Each glass is connected to the next, stacked on top of each other. There are two California red and two California white varietals available for $12.99 each. Order online here.
It’s the world’s first wine in a tube and first quality wine in a single serving. The Vini – available in a California Zinfandel and Chardonnay – is sleek, like something James Bond would pull out for a nip right before he jumps out of a plane. Each Vini is roughly a 1 1/4 glass of wine. And they are tasty. Lanee’s not typically a fan of Chardonnay because most are too buttery for her, but she actually enjoyed The Vini Chardonnay. Four Vinis equals a bottle of wine. Each tube is $9 when you buy a four-pack.
BOXED WINE
Gone are the days where serving box wine (i.e. your grandma’s Franzia) is the unpardonable party foul. There is now a plethora of high-quality boxed wines. Other perks include wine staying fresh a minimum of four weeks after you open it, they’re easy to pack and are shatter-proof — no more chance of ‘corked’ wine and most importantly, it is environmentally conscious. Did you know producing one box uses 1/3 less the energy required to produce a glass bottle, leaving a carbon footprint one-half the size of a wine bottle? Real Simple’s Best Boxed Wines article is a helpful guide for how to choose a high-end box wine.
Travel-Friendly Wine Gadgets
WINE SIPPY CUP
Sippy cups aren’t just for kiddies anymore. Vino2Go is a clever plastic wine glass encased in an insulated tumbler with a lid that slides open. It keeps the bevy cooler longer, avoids spillage, and keeps pesky bugs from taking a swim in the vino. 2 glasses, $22 on Amazon.
WINE COOLERS
Beer cozies are no stranger to picnics and festivals, but now there’s a way to keep your wine cold for hours too. Chill it Bags, with an uber-mod 60s space age look, is great for transporting white or rose wine, especially long distances. Throw it in the freezer overnight and they become instant coolers for not only wine, but also champagne, tequila, beer, and anything else you choose to imbibe. It’s also a clever way to bring wine to a party and a gift for the hostess in one shot as they are reusable. Chill It is avail in six colors at $10 each.
We discovered the PlatyPreserve ($10) at Pend d’Oreille Winery in Sandpoint, Idaho when we wanted to buy a bottle of wine to take with us on a boat ride. We had no idea if they allowed glass aboard, so winemaker Steve offered the PlatyPreserve wine bag as a clever solution. It holds an entire bottle of wine and is lightweight and easy to throw in your backpack. Lindsay scored one for all those groovy outdoor music events she loves. A girl needs to be prepared at all times and this wine “bladder,” as we called it, keeps us ready to wine and roll. Made in U.S.A
More To-Go Wine Resources
Food and Wine’s 25 Value Picnic Wines
Backpacker’s Backcountry Bartender: Box Wine Test
Most photos courtesy of each company. PlatyPreserve and The Vini ©voyagevixens.
Great post! An outdoor enthusiast, I have been looking for a solution to the inevitable ‘bugs in the wine glass’ syndrome. The Sippy Cup is a winning solution.
Thanks for your comment Kay! Glad we could help solve your ‘bugs in my booze!’ dilemma. Beautiful website btw. Cheers!
Great recommendations! I have a recommendation as well! If you are picnicking on a slope, it may be tricky to keep your wine upright. I use these when enjoying a glass of wine or a cocktail at the Deer Valley Snowpark Amphitheater (fabulous free concert series in the summer where everyone sits on the bunny slope at the resort). Here are a couple of simple options that help make enjoying yourself a touch easier:
http://www.amazon.com/True-Fabrications-Picnic-Stix-Set/dp/B005AIQPHO/ref=pd_sim_k_2
http://www.amazon.com/True-Fabrications-Picnic-Stix-Set/dp/B005AIQPHO/ref=pd_sim_k_2
There are many items like this out there on the market, but you get the idea. 🙂
Hi Courtney! Thanks for stopping by. We thought about including those, but didn’t really see the point until your brilliant example! 🙂 And gotta love Deer Valley in both winter and summer.