I don’t like football, but I love to eat and respect any sport whose season culminates in a party starring cheesy, salty snacks with alcohol to wash them down. I like beer, but often find myself getting too full too fast when I drink it. And, with 15-minute quarters lasting at least twice as long, I need to pace myself, lest the food (and my buzz) fade before the game is over and I’m left with nothing to do.
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Wine may seem unlikely at a Super Bowl party, but its acidity makes it a winner with game-day favorites. Just keep it inexpensive and unpretentious (this is no time to bust out a vertical tasting of Barolo) and you may be surprised at how many choose a Cab over a Bud.
The spice and gooey cheese in jalapeno poppers and nachos call for racy, fruity whites like Sauvingon Blanc, Torrontes, and, for something with a touch of sweet to tackle the heat, German Riesling.
For a rich, creamy treat like spinach artichoke dip, try a full-bodied white like Chardonnay or Viognier. Their heft stands up to each bite of what is basically an attempt to include vegetables in a buffet heralding all things deliciously fatty.
Dishing up chili? A meaty wine with hints of cinnamon and cocoa, like Malbec, make it chili’s most valuable player. For the smoky heat in buffalo wings, Cab Franc’s roasted pepper quality works well.
If you’re still craving carbonation, pair sparkling wine with potato chips and try to eat just one. Each sip cleanses your grease- and salt-covered tongue until you’ve finished the whole bag—and bottle.
For most, the drinks and eats on Sunday will take a back seat to the game, but with a line-up like this, every guest (even those of us masking our boredom) will score a touchdown.
A box for the Bowl
Problem: You want to be sufficiently prepared for wine-opting guests at your Super Bowl bash, but don’t want open bottles that could go to waste if it’s a beer-guzzling crowd.
Solution: The newest 3L bag-in-box wines (equal to four bottles) are tasty, cheap as chips, and stay fresh for a month. Available at Kroger, Barracks Road (sale prices subject to change): Big House White 2009 (California), reg. price $23.99, sale price $19.99; Black Box Sauvignon Blanc 2010 (New Zealand), reg. price $22.39, sale price $21.49; Bota Box Malbec 2009 (California), reg. price $27.39, sale price $19.99; Virginia Wineworks 2009 Cabernet Franc (Virginia), $29.89
Small Sips
We know greatness when we see it, and we’re glad that the Library of Virginia has caught up to us by honoring Felicia Warburg Rogan as one of eight “Virginia Women in History” for 2011. Once dubbed “The First Lady of Virginia Wine” for her pioneering efforts in the state wine industry, though Rogan has retired from Oakencroft (where she employed some of the region’s finest winemakers, including Michael Shaps and Riaan Roussow early in their careers), her influence continues to spread. Congratulations!
Save the date Saturday, May 14, to celebrate the budding statewide industry in the spirit of another Virginia wine pioneer—O.K. the Virginia wine pioneer. That’s when the Monticello Wine Festival will return, hosted by Jefferson himself (or a fellow dressed up just like him) and another indefatigable founder of the current wine culture here, Gabriele Rausse.
Winespeak 101
Vertical Tasting (n.): Tasting one varietal (such as Chardonnay, Verdejo, Merlot, etc.) from the same producer in a range of different vintages.
