Who Wants Super Bowl Wine?

Super Bowl Sunday, just two days away, is a time to tailgate on the couch, slog Molsons and crunch Doritos while clapping and cursing your way through this great American gladiatorama. A half time show with British Invasion rockers The Who may inspire a 30 minute dance party as well as indulgence in dark, bitter ales. But if hops and barley are not your thing, what wines are appropriate for a Super Bowl game? Indeed, what wine would Pete drink?

Not a deep thinker, that’s for sure.

Consider the most common football foods: pizza, nachos, chips, dips, cheese, prawns, chicken wings, barbeque ribs. That’s a lot of oily, spicy, acidic, high protein food to pair.

If you’re a die-hard Saints or Colts fan, go ahead and spring for real champagne. It always tastes sweeter when your team wines. For the rest of us, the clean, delicate Segura Viudas Reserva Brut is a sure bet. Crisp, dry rieslings are great for cutting through the cholesterol and refreshing the palate. The fresh, lively See Ya Later Ranch Unleashed Riesling, with its lovely citrus and apple notes, is a forward pass with potato chips. 

For a red that’s light as the feet you're watching, a fruity pinot noir will go down without leaving cleat marks on the tongue. The Rodney Strong 2005 Russian River Pinot Noir has a medium but round body with toasty red fruit and gentle tannins and will play with almost anything on your food field. At six dollars off it’s a touchdown.

If you’re looking for beefier team players, a spicy zinfandel or meaty syrah can handily tackle the heat of wings, pork and sausage. Zynthesis 2007 Old Vine Zinfandel has ripe, spicy black fruit and enough brawn to drop kick any strong flavours. For a full mouthfeel of smoky fleshy pluminess, Don Miguel Gascon Syrah can defend itself against the feistiest of barbeque sauces.

Happy Super Bowl Sunday, everybody. Go Saints.

But getting back to the halftime lineup, I have long thought that Who survivors Townsend and Daltry should merge with remaining Beatles McCartney and Starr and go on tour as the Whotles.

Who’s with me?
 

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