3 Very Nice Wines to Drink at the Park

Having a civilized drink in public should not be a source of shame. How many of us have returned from a European sojourn and marvelled at how our Italian counterparts don’t suddenly erupt into mass chaos because they can have a glass of verdicchio while strolling on the Via Corso? And thankfully, with the swiftness of Franklin (the turtle, although I suppose the Arctic explorer would work, too), our city council has been gradually loosening the reins such that this year, from July 1 to August 31, there are now a record 47 parks in which you can legally have a drink. And as a wine lover, it’s your civic duty to help normalize the idea that a glass of syrah with friends en plein air will not turn Vancouver into a modern-day Gomorrah. The city “requests” that you refrain from glass bottles, which in 2024 poses no problem thanks to wineries—like the three below—adopting innovative and environmentally friendly options.

Birch Block Endless Summer Rosé (can, $8)

Our natty producers have been headscratchingly slow to embrace the new medium, so this can from low-interventionists Birch Block is a double treat with its portability and electric, crisp, zippy notes of just-ripe tiny little strawberries.

Haywire Pinot Gris (1.5 L pouch, $50)

At first blush, half a c-note for a two-bottle pouch seems steep, but Haywire is committed to the idea that enviro packaging shouldn’t be contained to the realm of ordinary wine. So they fill this silver wonder with juice from the acclaimed King Family Vineyards above Summerland, then knock a few dollars off bottle retail to entice.

Scarpetta Lambrusco Frico (can, $22 for 4)

And then we have the reigning champ of park wines: a low- alcohol (9.5%) wine with acidity enough to pair with everything from burgers to ice cream sandwiches. It’s great when cold and not that bad even when the ice in the cooler has melted a bit. A necessary companion for a Spikeball jamboree.

The Best ‘Glasses’ for Drinking in the Park

No Stem,  No Spill

Now that we’re on board with this grown-up drinking, perhaps we can elevate above the Solo cup to round out the cultured vibe. These thoughtfully colour- coded stemless numbers from Williams Sonoma ($102 for a set of 6) are made of something called DuraClear, a huge step up from clunky acrylic in feel  but with similar throw-’em-in-the-backpack durability. williams-sonoma.ca