Wine boss: Perfect pairings for a spring picnic

Published 1:30 am Friday, April 3, 2026

I would like to start a short series about red, whites, rosé and bubbly — what makes wine unique besides the color and alcohol percentage. Plus, what makes a beautiful wine stand out and makes it unique.

I’m going to begin the series with whites because it is spring, and time to start thinking about patio wine and outside gatherings. Also, I want to touch on what pairs best with outdoor cooking, salads, and all the yummy spring and summer cuisine.

Never underestimate a lovely picnic blend! What is a picnic blend, you may ask? It is a gorgeous blend of hand-picked aromatic grapes specifically curated to be an easy drinking experience. The varietals for these blends usually consist of sauvignon blanc, pinot grigio, chenin blanc, riesling, roussanne, marsanne and albarino.

These wines usually have high acidity and a range of fruity to floral notes. They should be chilled between 45 and 55 degrees Fahrenheit.

Picnic blends pair well with most outdoor food, but mostly with typical meat cheeseboards and light finger food. It also pairs well with grilled Cajun shrimp due to the acidity of the wine balancing the spice in the seasoning. You can find a nice white blend at most of our lovely Snoqualmie Valley wineries: William Grassie has a nice sauvignon blanc blend, Pearl & Stone has “Ole Rickety,” which is a grenache blanc blend, Sigillo has SnoValley, which is a chardonnay blend, and Alveare has Puddle Jumper, which is a chenin blanc blend.

A person can go to any winery in the Valley to purchase a deep well-rounded chardonnay, a crisp riesling, or a tangy sauvignon blanc. However, my favorite white varietal is a well fermented, crisp viognier. There is nothing better to my palate than a viognier that has sat in steel tanks, making it almost bubbly and tender.

I drink my viognier well below 45 degrees so that on a hot day, I can enjoy the dynamic chill in almost reverence. Viognier is a varietal from the Rhone Valley of France. It retains flavors of peach, apricot and some floral notes. It is a grape with low acidity, making it the perfect BBQ wine. It pairs with anything that requires BBQ sauce, spice, seasoned meat (yes, even red meat), and seasoned vegetables. Viognier is a varietal that you can count on for those long summer night parties. Chateau No Elle has both a viognier (Grace) and a sparkling viognier (also Grace), while Sigillo has a sparkling viognier (Brut).

Let’s take a moment to talk about rosé! This is just not your sweet, syrupy rose that your grandmother used to drink. Rosé has so much more to offer these days, and wine producers have become very innovative and have taken rosé to the next level. Winemakers produce wine out of all varietals, ranging from sweet to dry. I have to say that while viognier is my favorite white varietal, for a summer wine, nothing beats a nice, dry, French inspired rosé. Again, I love it super chilled. However, you don’t have to drink rosé chilled. Just bring it to slightly below room temp to bring out those gorgeous aromatics that define a well-made rosé.

Which brings me to an age-old question: is rosé a red or a white? One may think that it is red, but honestly, what makes that pink color comes from a limited amount of contact from the skin of the chosen red varietal — anywhere from a few hours to a few days, depending on how dark of a color the producer wants. I personally categorize rosé as a white, summer drinking wine that can be just as beautiful in winter. Rosé is a wine that can be suitable for any pairing, and any event. It really depends on how sweet or how dry the wine is for the pairings.

My recommendation is that if the rosé is sweeter, pair with spicy Asian type foods, meat and cheeses, and light sweet pastries. Drier rosé should be paired with savory foods rich with aromatic herbs, butters, and salts. Our beautiful Snoqualmie Valley is rich in rosés with our different wineries each offering different base varietals.

Visit your favorite local winery and enjoy a lovely bottle today!

Kimberlea Miller is a Snoqualmie resident, wine enthusiast and former owner of Wildflower Bistro. Contact kimberlea.miller@comcast.net.