How to take your Champagne on a picnic

We've got the ultimate guide to popping bottles en plein air!  

From café culture in Paris to year-round patio suppers in Provence, the French have perfected the art of enjoying food and drink in the great outdoors. So it really is no wonder that crisp, dry, terroir-packed grower Champagne from fatcork is the best fit for whatever open-air gathering you happen to dream up. While our producers in France are busy making the best bubbles for your picnics of all shapes and sizes, our team of Champagne experts have scanned the globe for the very best Champagne accessories to set you up for success. Read on for our ultimate guide to enjoying your bubbles in the great outdoors. 

In the park

The best picnics make use of their unique surroundings, and you can’t beat a shady carpet of grass where you can still wiggle your toes in the sun. Look for a park spot with colorful flowers, swaying leaves or the faint trickle of water nearby, and you’ve got the perfect place to lay down your blanket. 

Pop it: Pack your basket with Didier Ducos L’Ablutien (also available in the cutest half-bottle version for two). This wonderfully crisp, bready cuvée tastes like a burst of sunshine. 

Pair it: Prepare a good-to-go selection of crudité and dips, cherries, cold rotisserie chicken and a fresh baguette (which you can take turns ripping with your hands). You could also consider bringing along fresh fruit, dried figs and salted butter, blue cheese and Dijon for the bread. 

Keep it together: (COMING SOON) Fatcork’s new Champagne Bottle Picnic Tote, a custom collaboration with leather goods purveyor J. Stark, has pockets for your bubbles and plenty of room for your blankets, snacks and picnic-friendly glassware. 

Out back

Backyard space with shade from trees or a large patio umbrella is where it’s at when it comes to executing the best outdoor brunch. Prep as much as you can the night before, so in the morning, you can take your time arranging a bouquet of fresh flowers to set the ambiance for your outdoor feast.  

Pop it: Pascal Redon Rosé is wonderfully inviting for a Sunday fun day, filling your backyard party with notes of ripe strawberries, vanilla and fresh florals. 

Pair it: Pile your platters with flaky pastries filled with jam and custard, a quiche with fresh ingredients from the farmers market, a simple salad and a selection of cheeses and fresh fruit. 

Keep it covered: A fatcork must-have, our low-profile Cooler Sleeve fits over your Champagne bottle, so it can sit on the table for easy refills. 

At the shore

Whether you’re watching the sunset over the water or sitting with your toes in the warm sand, there’s nothing quite like sipping grower Champagne from your beach blanket, while a cool breeze kisses your face and the hypnotic sound of waves crashing takes you to your happy place. 

Pop it: Etienne Calsac L'Échappée Belle Extra Brut, with its striking minerality and subtle hints of fresh, ripe pear, is light and refreshing on a warm summer day. When the sun sets, snuggle up and stargaze to the dark berry notes of Piollot Père et Fils Les Protelles Rosé de Saignée 2019. 

Pair it: Bring along deli sandwiches wrapped in brown paper, a bucket of raw oysters on ice or, if there’s a grill nearby, go for a lobster boil or clambake. And don’t forget the s’mores with small-batch chocolate and fancy fixing for after dark.

Play it cool: Our Utility Cooler, a limited edition collaboration with Jone Sports Co., is the best way to keep Champagne cold at the beach. Plus, the shoulder strap makes for easy transport to the perfect spot.

By the pool

Plop your towels down to claim your lounge chairs, and get to the business of setting up your classic picnic spread on a nearby table with access to a barbecue grill. A bright, festive tablecloth will help pull everything together, and don’t forget the bluetooth speaker for your pool party playlist. 

Pop it: Stock up on a bottle or two of the fruity-yet-savory Elise Dechannes Rosé de Saignée. This cuvée, spilling over with earthy notes and bright bursts of strawberry, will go well with anything you throw on the barbecue.

Pair it: Feast on hot dogs, burgers, grilled peaches with ricotta and basil, and fresh corn-and-tomato salad.

Chill it fast: Fill the perfect Ice Bag with an icy water bath, and your bubbles will be cold and ready to drink in the 20 minutes it takes your sunscreen to soak in.

On the steps

Being mostly city-dwellers ourselves, Team fatcork’s favorite picnic spots are those available slices of real estate that fit our favorite folks. And sometimes the perfect place to post up is closer than you think. We’ve been known to park impromptu picnics on our balconies, rooftops and front stoops. Pro tip: Keep it simple, and opt for takeout food in containers you can rest on your lap. 

Pop it: Mathieu-Gandon Esprit Brut is an all-around crowd pleaser with crisp effervescence and sparkling minerality. 

Pair it: Snack on a bowl of popcorn, enjoy pad Thai straight from the container, or nosh on fresh, warm pita with hummus and baba ghanouj from the Middle Eastern market down the street. 

Tote it: Stash your bottle in our easy, breezy Ranger Cooler Bag to keep your hands free for punching elevator buttons and opening doors. 

Cheers,

Team fatcork