Photo: Sillydog, Flickr
Admit it. When it comes to watching football games on television, you'd rather uncork a bottle of red wine than sip a micro beer. Yet a bag of chips trumps the thought of a fussy four-course meal. That's where we can help. This Sunday's Super Bowl festivities can definitely embrace both wine and traditional game-day snacks. Here are some pairing tips.
There isn't a Super Bowl party out there that won't have a cheesy, creamy dip within the food spread. In terms of matching it with a wine, think bold and robust – like a bottle of Australian Shiraz, Napa Cabernet or Sonoma County Zinfandel. But if whites are your weakness, a dip containing sharp cheddar, Derby or Gruyère will pair just as well with a Sauvignon Blanc. Goat cheese is a popular dip ingredient, and a glass of Chardonnay is a fantastic partner.
With a bag of chips, turn to Riesling, often a favorite pick with Indian and Thai foods. The wine will cut through the salt and spice nicely. Tortilla chips flavored with lime or lemon need a high-acid white to compete with their intensity; we suggest Sauvignon Blanc, Sancerre, Torrontés or Roussanne. A light-bodied red wine – such as Pinot Noir or Beaujolais – is a great selection for salted, roasted or candied nuts. If there are wings at the party, or any kind of barbecued meat, a Malbec or Zinfandel will complement those flavors.
If by halftime your team is ahead by a touchdown or two, head down to the cellar and bring up a bottle of sparkling wine. The nice thing about bubbles is that they are extremely food-friendly and introduce nuances to just about any dish. Perhaps by this time the bags of chips will be close to empty and it'll be time to switch to sliced fruit or dessert. Fruit-based desserts pair perfectly with sparkling wines.
Pizza presents a fun pairing challenge because, really, it's all about the toppings. Mushrooms deserve an earthy Pinot Noir, and sausage might go well with Chianti or Red Rioja. Tomato sauce is tricky: You want a high-acid wine but not one that will overpower the pie. For a white pick, go with a crisp, cool-climate Pinot Gris; and for reds, a rosé is a surprisingly good match-up.
Related: Super Bowl Food Trivia, Best Frozen Buffalo Wings.
2-03-2010 @4:42PM Skye B. said... Interesting. The last thing I ever contemplated doing with Super Bowl snacks is pairing them with wine...now I have even greater alcoholic inspiration than ever before! I've been searching long and hard for fresh new recipes to shake things up and found that a couple of these how-tos do the trick http://www.greenwala.com/search?q=super+bowl but would love to see more recipe ideas that would be suitable for vegetarians and those who are trying to lean toward the green side of things. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
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