Super Bowl Beverages

You may have noticed that my blog writing has (temporarily) been a little slow on publishing. No I haven't run out of material, but I have been writing (wait for it)...portions of a new wine textbook. Soon I'll be able to announce the new business partnership, and possibly a new wine school.

But for now, it is the end of the football (American football for my overseas readers) season, and time for the Super Bowl. I must admit that I was rooting for the San Francisco 49ers to make it to the big game, again. But, those darn Seahawks got in the way. How many people really care who's in the Super Bowl? Those of us at home, that don't have a team in the game, are probably there for the commercials, or friends and food.

That's were this weeks article comes in.

photo from ifood.tv

I did some research to find out what the most common Super Bowl snacks were. Not the necessarily the brands, but what foods are served at Super Bowl gatherings. That got me to thinking...what would be the beverage(s) of choice for a Super Bowl party? If you wanted to make sure everyone is happy, which beverages should you have on hand for your guests? Beer, Wine, Soda, hard alcohol? Let's take a look at the top 20 most common Super Bowl foods, and my recommendations for possible pairings:

1. Chili - spicy, greasy, meaty, starchy - got to go with a nice Lager Beer, Fruity Zinfandel, or even a Beaujolais (Gamay grape variety)

2. Pizza - a mixture of flavors, spice, cheese, sauce - Beer, Chianti, Barbera, or Zinfandel

3. Meatballs or cocktail wieners, in sauce - could be BBQ, or tomato sauce - Beer, Zinfandel, Chianti (Sangiovese grape variety)

4. Salsa - spicy, acidic, vegetables - Lager Beer, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Zinfandel, Margaritas

5. Ribs - meaty, grilled, sauce or dry rub - Beer, Zinfandel, Riesling (with pork ribs) Rose

6. Buffalo Wings - spicy, greasy - Beer, Rose, Sparkling Wine, Zinfandel

7. Spinach Dip - vegetal, creamy - Sauvignon Blanc, Beaujolias

8. Guacamole - creamy, mouth coating - Beer. Sparkling wine, Sauvignon Blanc (New Zealand, or Chile)

9. Quesadillas - starchy, cheesy, spicy - Beer, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Sparkling Wine

10. Artichoke Dip - vegetal, creamy - Sparkling wine, Rose (go with a dry style as artichokes make wine taste sweeter).

11. Nachos - starchy. cheesy - Beer, Margaritas, Sparkling wine, Zinfandel

12. Hot Dogs, or Pigs in a Blanket - Beer, Rose, Zinfandel, Riesling

13. Deviled Eggs - creamy mouth coating - Sparkling wine or Sauvignon blanc

14. Hoagie/Submarine sandwich - Beer, Soda, Zinfandel, Beajolais

15. 7-Layer Dip - mouth coating, mix of ingredients - Beer, Margarita, Malbec Riesling, Zinfandel

16. Baked Beans - Beer, Shiraz, Zinfandel

17. Hamburgers - Beer, Beaujolais, Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel

18. Doritos - can be plain or spicy - Sparkling wine, Zinfandel, Beer

19. Popcorn - buttery, salty - Sparkling wine

20. Chex Mix - salty - Beer, Sparkling wine.

So, let's look at the count....if you are holding a Super Bowl party, Beer must be on your beverage menu, and if you must pick a style, go with Lager. The next must have is Zinfandel. Go with a lighter, fruitier version. Next would be a sparkling wine. Personally, I wouldn't spend the money on a fine French Champagne for the items on the food list. But luckily there are some decent priced sparklers out there. Next, it is close as to which white wine. You can't go wrong with Sauvignon Blanc, or Riesling (go with a dry version from Alsace or California). So you have beer, red, sparkling and white, let's add a dry Rose, and we should have it covered. For those that don't drink, add some soda. And for those that want something a little heavier, add some Tequila and margarita mix, and you are well on your way to satisfying everyone's needs.

Time for the Super Bowl....who are you picking?