Our "Super" Big Game (Food & Wine) Picks!
The "Big Game" is approaching and, even know our beloved Chiefs are not there, we are still willing to watch four to five hours of football and hilarious commercials (No-to-mention the 50+ hours of pre-game, etc.) Just because football is a typically a beer sport means you need to make sure you don't forget to include wine at your Big Game party. That’s right, we said it, wine (What else would I write about with only 100 hours until the event)!
Your friends at eat - entertaining and training and the National Wine Market Council make it easy by pairing game-day snack stand-bys with favorite wines. Big Game Sunday isn't just for beer drinkers anymore (No offense to the beer drinkers out there)!
Spicy Buffalo Wings
Piquant and vinegary wings need white wines with a lot of acidity like Schuster Sauvignon Blanc (NZ) or Esperanza (Spain) to stand up to the sharpness of the flavors. If the wings are exceptionally spicy, an off-dry Riesling (Selbach) from Germany or (Poet's Leap) Washington State also works well to tame the heat.
Pizza
With so many variations in its preparation, pizza matches well with many different wines. Keeping with the Italian theme, Cennatoio's E (100% Sangiovese) is a natural fit. Its tart cherry flavor and bright acidity meld well with any pizza's tomato sauce. Red wines from the Barbera grape, which is produced in Northern Italy's Piedmont area and parts of California also has a nice tang to accompany pepperoni or sausage. For a pizza emphasizing garlic or vegetables, try a crisp Pinot Grigio from Italy. Maybe the Tenuta S. Anna?
Chili/Sloppy Joes
These quintessential American foods call for quintessential American wines. Try a lush, fruit-forward Wellington or Fitch Mountain Cabernet (California) with a sloppy joe; the bright berry flavors will have affinity for the sweet, tomato flavors. With chili, a Langmeil Shiraz from the Australia or a Rioja from Spain (a few will be open this weekend) works wonders, as these wines have the same earthy and meaty characteristics.
Veggies and Dip
Crispy and crunchy crudités call for a fresh, zippy white like Rome Sancerre (French Sauvignon Blanc) or an unoaked Chardonnay from Chile or France (Cousino-Macul or Novellum). If you're in the mood for a red, try something light and fruity like chilled Salmon Run's Petite Noir from New York or an inexpensive Foris Pinot Noir from Oregon or Grayson Pinot Noir from California.
Nachos or Quesadillas
One of the best matches for anything with corn, such as chips or tortillas, is Chardonnay (Maybe the Holy Cow or The 3rd Bottle). This is the case here, as Chardonnay also will complement creamy cheeses and counterpoint the salsa. In the red category, Zinfandel (BR Cohn, Deerfield Ranch, Muscardini or Rosenblum from California) likewise accompanies spicy salsa and Felino Merlot can have a cooling effect. Consider drinking the reds slightly chilled.
Submarine Sandwiches
When you roll out that big sub at halftime, consider a big wine like Onyx Shiraz from South Africa or even an Felino Malbec from Argentina, which will happily go with any meat. If the sandwich has a spicy mustard flavor, go with a Baileyana Pinot Noir from California or Garaudet Cote-de-Beaune from France. If the sandwich is a cheese steak, consider a bottle of Truth Lindsey's Cuvee or even Sophia's Cuvee (we met the former winemaker and he assures us it rocks), which goes beautifully with beef.
Whatever you do to celebrate; be sure to Drink Vino!
Michael and the cru @ eat - entertaining and training!
