Whether it’s the longer days, warmer weather, flowers blooming, or some combination of all of these, I have roughly quadrupled the time I’ve spent eating and drinking outside in the last few weeks. Even my three-year-old son has been coming home from daycare lately asking if we can eat dinner outside! This desire to dine al fresco has been accompanied by a shift in wine preferences, too.
     Just a few weeks into spring, I already can’t get enough rosé, from Fontsainte’s ethereal Gris de Gris to Terrebrune’s soulful Bandol—both feature regularly in my patio ice bucket and picnic cooler. As for whites, I’m reaching for crisp and zingy versions like Domaine du Salvard’s Cheverny, a blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay, and Colleleva’s brisk Verdicchio. The Lavantureux brothers’ mineral Bourgogne Tonnerre, from the outskirts of Chablis, takes things to another level but scratches the same itch.
     In the way of reds, I’m craving the most lively and fragrant bottles I can find—as if they were in bloom themselves! Château Thivin’s Brouilly smells like a spring bouquet while the Bruniers’ Mégaphone, from the sunny south, is vibrant and juicy, bursting with black cherry, herbs, and tapenade.
     If you are also finding yourself outside more and more, on picnics at the park or enjoying apéro hour on the patio, here are twelve bottles that are perfect for the occasion.