By Lauren Dickinson

A fashionable madhatter picnic at the Prix de Diane in Chantilly, France

Generally speaking, the idea of a picnic sounds romantic but the reality of preparing and packing one tends to ruin the feeling of spontaneity that ought to be the point. Now The New York Times’ Mark Bittman has published a list of “101 Picnic Dishes to Make in 20 Minutes” full of fantastic ideas for a quick gourmet picnic. Recipes like peach and tomato salad and fava bean and ricotta sandwiches take advantage of what’s currently in your farmers market without undo fuss. All you need to add is a bottle of wine…

Now that Americans have recovered from the association of pink wine with White Zinfandel (shudder) they are discovering the perfection that is a bottle of rosé on a hot summer day. Conjuring up visions of long lunches in Provence and the glamour of Saint Tropez, rosé is surging in popularity-in France it has now surpassed white wine in terms of sale.  Colors range from the palest salmon to the deepest pink depending on the style and varietal. There are excellent versions being produced all across France, in Spain, California, and Argentina. The light body and high acidity pair easily with a range of food, and all work well on a picnic blanket in the park.