When I was in college, I took a HADM 4433: Food & Wine Pairing (needless to say it was one of my favorite classes) In it we learned the rationalization behind why one pairs sweet wine with spicy food, and how tannins interact with your palate when you eat a steak, etc., but I have to say even I was a little flabbergasted when the Chardonnay class came up and looking down on my pairing plate
I saw... hotdogs & popcorn?
I was skeptical, but it tasted fantastic! - but when in the world was a restaurant professional going to use a wine & hotdog pairing???
Needless to say, I get it now - THE SUPERBOWL.
I would venture that the Superbowl is the most equally watched event between men & women and don't get me wrong, I love a good porter, but there are several people in the football watching world that just don't enjoy beer - and they are in luck, because when it comes to tailgating mainstays, wine can definitely handle the heat. So drink those beers at kickoff, but when the food starts coming around, you are missing out if you don't throw wine the ball and run with some of these football friendly wine pairings:
The Burger: When pairing food & wine, think about ALL of the ingredients, not just the main protein - and the burger is the perfect example. While a Cabernet may spring to mind (I mean it is really just ground up steak right?) don't forget that the buttery bun makes up half the pair. Because of this, a simple burger actually pairs excellently with an oaky buttery Chardonnay. The extra tannins from the oak help you out when it comes to the fat in the meat, and the sweetness of the bun really comes out along side the buttery chardonnay texture. Also, that good old American processed cheese goes hand in hand with the Chardonnays melon flavors.
Try the Francis Coppola Diamond Collection Chardonnay ($15). The mixture of 50% barrel fermentation / 50% stainless fermentation ensures a wine that is creamy while still maintaining much of its fresh fruit flavors such as melon, apple, and guava. Also, pair with wine with the above mentioned hotdog.
*I will insert a small caveat here: wine & ketchup isn't a match made in heaven. The tangy sweet takes most of the fruit away from the wines and they can seem unbalanced - so if drinking & eating the above, reach for the mustard instead.
Chili / Jambalaya: In honor of the city hosting this year's game, there is going to be a lot of jambalaya being eaten on Sunday. Plus its always a tailgating favorite given its ability to make large portions easily & keep you nice and warm on the cold day AND it goes SO much better with wine then beer if only for one simple reason, spice & carbonation don't mix.
Instead grab a nice fruity Albarino (Al-bah- NYEE-yo) from Rias Baixas (RE-ahs BYE-shas) Spain. This grape has a nose similar to Viogner & Gerwurtztraminer showcasing ripe apricot & peach on the nose with high acidity and low alcohol levels, the key to the success of this pairing as spicy food brings out the heat of the base alcohol within the wine. What sets Albarino apart from other dry fruit forward whites is a distinctive slight salinity which is gained due to its being grown on the coast in Galacia, Spain. Also, when considering wine pairing, always consider the food typically eaten in that region - and while I highly doubt jambalaya specially is a common food in Galacia, what they do eat is a lot of seafood & spicier sausages.
Marques De Caceres, Albarino Rias Baixas 2011 ($16) is a great choice & bonus points, just got featured in Wine Spectator as one of the top 100 values for 2012.
Well that is all for today - enjoy the game & enjoy these pairings!
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