Drink Up!
Mornings are cooler, the kids are back in school, the beaches are less crowded, and the NFL season begins this Wednesday, when last year’s Super Bowl champs, the Seattle Seahawks, host the New England Patriots. According to songwriter and performer Darius Rucker, “There are two seasons: Football season and waiting for football season.” I know, I know, I know. I’m the wine guy; football fans drink beer! Well, not all of us. Don’t get me wrong; I enjoy a good brewski. However, in my experience, most beer drinkers do not match the style of beer (lager, stout, IPA, etc.) to what they are eating. Instead, they drink the style they prefer, perhaps changing things up seasonally. On the other hand, wine drinkers tend to pair their wines to their food. As we prepare for the starting weeks of the NFL season, allow me to offer wine pairings for the foods that many folks enjoy when settling in for a game: steak, burgers, tacos, brats, and veggie trays with queso dip.
Grilled food and football are a natural pair. Statistica.com reports that the favorite grilled food for over 50% of Americans is steak (34%) and burgers (19%). For steak or beef burgers, full-bodied, higher-tannin red wines like Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, and Zinfandel are the perfect pairings. Cabs are full-bodied and well-balanced with dark, rich fruit flavors plus relatively high tannins and acidity that stand up well to the richness of these hearty entrees. Go with the Brady Cabernet Sauvignon from Paso Robles, California, or the Joel Gott 815 Cabernet from Napa and Lodi. Both will give you the classic Cab flavor I described above. For something different, try a Malbec from Argentina like the El Esteco Don David or the Catena Malbec. The rich, dark fruit flavor and tannins are similar to Cabernet Sauvignon, but with a touch of smoke and black pepper. Or, call an audible and go with a Zinfandel. Zins tend to be more fruit-forward, which mistakenly gives them the reputation of being sweeter. They are not! You will note black raspberry and plum fruit flavors with a touch of baking spices like allspice, cinnamon and clove. This profile makes Zinfandel the perfect wine for burgers and barbecued meats. Try the OZV Old Vine Zinfandel from Lodi. This wine earned a score of 94 from Wine Enthusiast and is incredibly reasonably priced.
Tacos are a great football party food with nearly unlimited options. A taco bar that allows everyone to choose his or her own fillings is a sure-fire way to please everyone. For those who choose a steak or ground beef taco, a Spanish red, such as Garnacha, would pair perfectly. Try the Bodegas Breca Garnacha or the Evodia Garnacha from Calatayud, Spain. The flavors are ripe cherries with distinctive earthy minerality. For those who prefer grilled fish or shrimp tacos, the Zarate Rias Baixas Albariño from the Galicia region of Spain or the Chateau de Chasseloir Muscadet Sèvre et Maine Sur Lie from the Loire Valley of France would be perfect. If you’re scooping in shredded chicken, the Famille Perrin Cotes Du Rhone Blanc Reserve from France would be a great choice.
Bratwurst sausages on a roll, with or without cheese or sauerkraut, with a good quality mustard, is a football season favorite. Brats are one of those magical foods that pairs equally well with a lighter-bodied red or a white wine. For a red wine, try the Mauro Molino Barbera D’Alba or the Ferraris Barbera D’Asti. If you are unfamiliar with the Barbera grape, it is one you will want to get to know. It is a light-bodied dry red wine with the fruit flavor of red cherry, fresh red berries and a touch of savory herbs. Or for something a little different, try the Christina Zweigelt, also from Austria. This is a minimally-processed natural wine. The flavor profile is similar to the Barbera, with a touch of black pepper spice. It’s a chillable red wine, making it great for a warm local summer football day. If white is your preference, try the Mantlerhof Gruner Veltliner from Austria or the Nik Weis St. Urbans-Hof Riesling from Mosel, Germany. With brats, you have lots of options.
A vegetable platter with dip has a place at many parties, often as a side or snack. Add a cheesy, slightly spicy queso dip and it can be the main dish. For the vegetables, classics are broccoli, cauliflower, baby carrots, bell peppers, radishes, and snap peas. Go with what you like and be creative, colorful, and in-season. For wine, the options are limitless. A light white wine is a great choice for spicier dips. Pick up a Portuguese wine, like the Vera Vinho Verde or the Muros Antigos Vinho Verde. Or choose the Antxiola-Txakolina Getariako from the Basque Country region of Spain. All of these are light and dry with the flavors of white peaches, green apples and a touch of coastal minerality. If you prefer a red, choose a rich, flavorful wine from the Alentejo region of southern Portugal, such as the Guarda Rios or the Aplanta Red Blend from Alentejo in southern Portugal.
Pizza is the game-day choice of many, especially in South Jersey, where pizza is a work of art. People get very creative with their pies! I recently saw a recipe for a Philly cheesesteak pizza with steak, peppers, onions, cream cheese and loads of provolone cheese. This pizza allows you to make the choice of white or red, but I would probably go with a Sicilian white wine like the Villarini Grillo-Chardonnay from Sicily. This dry wine is made with 100% organic grapes and has the intensity to stand up against the steak on this pizza. Or, choose the Terredora DiPaolo Aglianico red wine, also from Campania. This dry red holds its own against the steak but has a lightness that allows the cream cheese and provolone to come through.
Well, if you’re anything like me, you are now hungry and eagerly anticipating the return of the college and NFL season. It’s a long season with many games and many opportunities to try something new with your football festivities. I hope this article encourages you, at the very least, to split your time between beer and wine. Contact me with any questions, or let me know your favorite football food pairings, at dsetley@passionvines.com. Until next time, happy wining! (P.S., I know this is E-A-G-L-E-S country, but go Saints!)
David Setley is enjoying his retirement from higher education as a wine educator and certified sommelier at Passion Vines in Somers Point, New Jersey.
