I may not be your average American football fan. I don’t spend my autumn weekends camped in front of the TV chugging a beer as I cheer on my favorite teams. Nope, it’s usually a glass of vino.
So, friends often ask me what wines go with football. They usually do so with a wink and a smirk, but for me the issue is no joking matter. I’m dead serious about football and wine and have made it a lifelong study. There are subtleties at play most beer drinkers wouldn’t understand.
For example, you must realize that football season kicks off in the midst of Indian summer, with warm, sunny afternoons that call for cool, crisp white wines such as pinot grigio, albarino, sauvignon blanc and riesling.
That’s for starters, and by that I mean these wines make wonderful mates for the snacks I serve early in the football afternoon at the beginning of the season: ceviche, spicy guacamole, bruschetta, and toasts with tapenade and/or goat cheese and sun-dried tomato.
A few wine suggestions for this array of tapas: Ca’ del Solo 2008 Albarino, Monterey County ($19) is a minerally example, perhaps the finest in the U.S., of this classic Spanish grape variety, with aromas of lime blossom and green apple and refreshing acidity; Ventana Vineyards 2008 Riesling, Monterey County ($18), technically an off-dry riesling, but so well balanced that it comes across as dry, making it a perfect match for the savory and slightly sweet aromas of the tapas; Matua Valley 2008 Sauvignon Blanc, New Zealand ($12) is simply the best bang for the buck in Kiwi sauvignon.
As the football season advances, the menu options acclimate to the cooler temps, and my football snacks trend toward hot dishes such as chicken chili, grilled chicken wings, bratwurst and more savory, pungent cheeses.
Of course, this calls for more robust wines. That would be heavier whites, such as chardonnay or viognier, and spicy reds that can stand up to stews and char aromas off the grill.
Wine suggestions for heavier, more wintry football faire: Bonterra 2007 Chardonnay, Mendocino County ($14) has the dual advantage of being exceptionally yummy for the money and organic, too, if you’re into that sort of thing; Carmel Road 2007 Pinot Noir, Monterey ($16) is another tasty bargain wine, considering the price of pinot noir has gone through the roof. And if you get ambitious and grill up a salmon steak, you will be in sublime culinary territory no matter the score of the game; Eberle 2007 Barbera, Paso Robles ($22) would be a very classy addition to your game day, as it was Best of Show red wine at the 2009 San Diego International Wine Competition and would be right at home with a zesty chili or barbecued ribs; Sonoma Vineyards 2007 Syrah, Sonoma County ($15) is an impressive syrah for the money, but it’s the second label of the stellar Rodney Strong Vineyards, so the quality level is hardly a surprise.
Bear in mind that recommended wines will vary depending upon your location availability. Don’t let that slow you down. I realize buying a case of beer might require less care in the planning of a football weekend, but I submit that choosing an array of inexpensive and tasty wines will be more fun.
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